Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

Congenital amputee sets lofty goals, reaches them

By Gary Hawkins ghawkins@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA -- Josh Kennison tossed a football to an audience member at Jewett Hall on the campus of the University of Maine at Augusta on Tuesday night, then fielded a return pass with the confidence of a receiver alone in the end zone.

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Staff photo by Andy Molloy WINGS: Josh Kennison races past Cony middle school students Tuesday at the Cony High School track in Augusta.

Staff photo by Andy Molloy

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Then the 21-year-old from Norway, Maine, born with arms truncated above the elbow and legs above the knees, told his life story. The fact he was also born without a tongue made it that much more compelling.

"I don't know how I talk, but I do it," he told an audience of about 40 at an event sponsored by the school's Office of Civic Engagement.

Earlier in the day, Kennison engaged a couple of classes at Cony High School in outdoor events that included a foot race. He's a world class athlete and a tough man to beat, able to run a 100-meter dash in 12 seconds and change and long jump nearly 19 feet.

Kennison won three gold medals and a silver at the Endeavor Games in Oklahoma City last summer and later missed qualifying for the World Paralympic Games in the long jump by two inches. He's set a goal of qualifying for the 2012 World Paralympic Games in London, and he's pretty reliable about setting realistic goals and reaching them.

The speech Kennison gave Tuesday night was entitled Overcoming and Giving Back, terms that define his life. He began on the right path when his mother mainstreamed him into elementary school in Norway.

"I was very social," said Kennison, who made friends quickly after they learned he shared many of the same concerns they did.

"I told them about who I was, how it happened and eventually they thought, 'This guy is pretty cool,' " Kennison said.

He played soccer right away and excelled on prosthetic legs. In post-speech questioning Kennison said he tried prosthetic arms as a youngster but they just slowed him down, particularly when it came to eating.

"I was hungry," he said. "I didn't have time to wait."

He continued to play soccer and took up track and field in middle school and continued both through Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School from which he graduated in 2008.

Middle school, he said, was especially difficult because of the onset of puberty, the fact his parents split up and all the superficial junior high obsessions. Kennison had a couple himself, including the desire to have a girlfriend.

"Looking back, I was glad I didn't have a girlfriend, because that would have been drama and drama and drama," he said, getting a laugh from the audience.

Kennison later did have a girlfriend for a couple of years in high school, and when they broke up it took him some time to recover, he said, because it was his first relationship. About that time a friend introduced him to a mentor who introduced Kennison to the Bible, among other things.

"My life seemed to turn around kind of quickly," he said. "I realized at that point I wasn't living my life alone."

An earlier experience Kennison had been working on at Camp No Limits for quadruple amputees like himself, also opened his eyes.

"I met a young girl from New Zealand," he said. "I've never seen a girl so happy in my life. She always had a smile on her face."

Kennison inspired her to walk about 100 yards one day, much farther than she ever had, and had a revelation.

"I was crying because I inspired her to do that," he said.

He's since inspired many through community, as a junior high girls soccer coach and now as a public speaker. His speech Tuesday, Kennison said, was the first he had given wearing a microphone and using power points he controlled himself via computer. He added he can type 29 words a minute.

"My hope is to travel in the state, New England and the country and inspire people," he said. "Everyone has hope, you just have to find it."

Kennison said he eliminated the phrase "I can't" from his vocabulary several years ago. At the same time, he emphasized setting realistic goals. One he's yet to accomplish is tying his shoes.

"I will tie my shoes before I die," he said. "I promise."

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com