Dare to Do the Unthinkable
On an ordinary hot summer dayย in rural Georgia just weeksย before heading off for his firstย year of college, Scott Rigsbyโs life was toย change forever.
Riding in the back of a pickup after aย long hard day of landscaping work, Scottย and his buddies were laughing and talkingย about the upcoming weekend.ย Suddenly, and without warning, aย passing 18-wheeler ran them off the roadย sending Scott under a 3-ton trailer, and draggingย him more than 300 feet.
By all human expectations, Scottย should not have survived. But he did.ย And with horrific injuries. One leg wasย completely severed, the other left hangingย by a threadโand he suffered third-degreeย burns over his back.
What followed were 26 surgeries, aย second amputation of the leg that couldย not be saved, unspeakable depression,ย fear and uncertainty.
In the blink of an eye, Scottโs lifeย changed from one with a bright collegeย career ahead to one of unbearable challenges,ย dashed dreams and poverty.
Itโs not surprising that as a result ofย his now broken body and constant pain,ย Scott waged a battle with prescriptionย drug addiction. After all this, plus noย steady income, Scott lost his dreams of aย stable and successful future.
A decade later, in 2005, Scott readย about the Ironman Triathlon, a series of swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a marathon (26 mile) runโraced in that order and without a break. All Ironman events have a strict time limit of 17 hours to complete the race.
On that day, Scott made a promise to himself that one day he would compete in the Ironman. What irony. Not only is this a man with no legs, he didnโt even know how to swim!
With a new sense of determination, Scott figured that if heโd come this far through so many physical challenges, learning to swim should be simple by comparison. And learn, he did.
Scott completed 13 triathlons and five road races in less than a year on his way to setting multiple world records for a double below-the-knee amputee.
On Oct. 13, 2007, Rigsby became the first double amputee in the world to complete an Ironman distance triathlon with prosthetics at the 140.6-mile World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Scott calls it โDoing the Unthinkable,โ the motto he has embraced since that day in 2005 when he picked himself up off the couch and decided to stop being a victim of his circumstances.
Iโve watched the videos of Scott in action and recently had the privilege to hear him speak. With humility and gratitude, Scott faces life with uncommon determination and gentle strength.
What kind of 18-wheeler has run you off the road of life? Is it unemployment? Divorce? Health issues? Whatever it is that has cut the legs out from under your financial situation, itโs time for you to get up out of that recliner!
Just as Scott knew that he could not grow new legs, you need to accept what is true and stop fantasizing that youโll win the lottery, or your former employer will apologize and beg you to come back to your old job.
Itโs time to find new strategies, plans, and methods that will become your new prostheses.
Lost your home? Stop wallowing in self-pity. Pick yourself up and start looking for a landlord.
Canโt find a job? Maybe itโs time to become your own next employer.
Whatever it is that is keeping you deep in debt and a victim of a rotten economy, stop giving it the power to hold you down!
Let go of whatever it is that brings you to this place. Stop counting the money youโve lost in your retirement account. No more dwelling on how many weeks you didnโt get an unemployment check.
Give up looking in the rearview mirror of your life. What happened then is over now. Itโs done, and there is nothing you can do to change it.
Instead, look at what lies ahead. Thereโs a big clean canvas out there just waiting for you to paint the next season of your life. Identify your triathlon. Give it a name. Start training.
Itโs time to pick yourself up and stop being a victim of your circumstances.
You are stronger than you know and smarter than you think.ย Dare to think big and set goals to matchโunthinkable goals!
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Mary, my spouse of 45 years passed away last year and my life has been changed forever. This story is very much appreciated. Thank you.
Oh, I am so sorry for your loss Pat. And grateful you read the story! Just imagine the inspiration you will be to others as you set out in 2024 to do the inthinkable.
Excellent post to begin what could be an incredible year. Thank you Mary!
Such an inspiring article! Thank you, Mary, for your faithfulness and diligence to find things that help so many! God bless you!
Your story and message are so profound and inspiring. Thank you…
Best regards from Canberra, Australia
Thanks for sharing this. I and my Granddaughter needed to read this. We have been struggling so much. Didn’t even get to celebrate Christmas, but still had Christ with us all the way!
Great column today! Thank you. Have a great year yourself
Dear Mary!
Thanks for this motivating post!