In a game-changing move, Nike has officially signed their first ever pro-athlete with cerebral palsy and the moment he finds out will melt your heart…
Nike recently changed a life in the best way possible. Justin Gallegos is a cross country runner who never let his cerebral palsy get in the way of his dreams.
Justin began running in high school as a freshman from Santa Clarita, California. He started but would stumble and trip himself up continuously as he worked hard to master his body’s coordination. He set challenges for himself and worked tirelessly to beat every single one and set new personal bests. He never let his congenital disorder get the better of him.
He worked hard for six solid years and is now a member of the track club at the University of Oregon. His current personal best is a just-above-7-minute mile.
In 2017 he set his sights on a new goal… To complete a half-marathon unassisted in under 2-hours. He contacted someone from Nike to share his goal and they decided to help him achieve the goal. They provided him with supportive footwear designed specifically for his running gait.
The shoe designed for him was one that he could use with ease and without assistance from anyone else. He zipped himself in on race day and set off. He crossed the finish line in 2 hours and 3 minutes. Undefeated, Justin committed to running a second half-marathon to prove he really could do it under 2 hours.
Fast forward a few months later and his wildest dream has come true!
During a cross-country run recently, he was being filmed but thought it was just for his race. He had no idea that Nike would be offering him a professional contract. A first for any runner with cerebral palsy.
“Today on World Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day, I reached a milestone in my running journey! Today I made Nike history and became the very first athlete with Cerebral Palsy to sign a contract with Nike! You don’t realize how realistic and emotional your dreams are until they play out before your very eyes!
Signing this contract was a huge success for me and I would not have made it without my friends and family and teammates! This was perhaps the most emotional moment in my seven years of running!
Growing up with a disability, the thought of becoming a professional athlete is as I have said before like the thought of climbing Mt. Everest! It is definitely possible, but the odds are most definitely not in your favor! Hard work pays off! Hundreds of miles, blood, sweat, and tears has lead me here along with a few permanent scars! But the journey is damn sure not over!!! Looking back, I would guess there is only a few select people who would see me were I am today!
I have gone through just about everything in the book to be where I am today! I was once a kid in leg braces who could barely put on foot in front of the other! Now I have signed a contract with Nike Running! Trust the process! And most of all trust in God! God is good! Thank you to all my friends, family, and teammates on running club, and now a brand new atmosphere on teammates with Nike!
This moment will live forever! Thank you, everyone, for helping show the world that there is No Such Thing As A Disability!” –
The cameras caught the entire thing and his reaction is one that is so heartwarming it moved us to tears. Take a look below.
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