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Happy Sunday! 🐶 

You might’ve done a double-take when you saw that big ol’ sponsor logo at the top.

But behind that logo is a company getting a lot of buzz – and I'm excited for you to learn more about them later in this email.

Today’s edition includes an exclusive interview with one of the most inspiring people I’ve come across in my 6+ years covering underdog stories.

His name is Hunter Moore.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve had a chance to speak with his father, Glenn, and learn all about Hunter’s mindset & unique approach to life.

At just 16 years old, he’s wise beyond his years.

I hope his story inspires you as much as it has inspired me.

Here's what’s coming today:

• Once told he’d grow up in a wheelchair, this high schooler just won 1st place in a bodybuilding contest

• The Hall of Famer who almost quit before it happened

• A karate kick that’ll warm your heart

Let’s dive in 👇

Doctors Said He’d Be Raised in a Wheelchair. Now He’s Proving Them All Wrong.

Hunter Moore is one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever interviewed.

And that’s saying a lot, being that this is the home for inspiring underdog stories and we’ve published nearly 500 articles over the years.

Moore is a Texas high schooler who was diagnosed with dystonic cerebral palsy at 9 months old.

Doctors said he’d have issues trying to walk and would be raised in a wheelchair.

But Hunter was determined to “prove them all wrong.”

Today:

• He's a long-snapper on his high school’s JV football team

• One of the strongest kids in the gym

• Won 1st place in a natural bodybuilding competition

Hunter and his father – retired Army Colonel, Glenn Moore – have been documenting the entire journey on social media, which is how we got connected.

I was fortunate enough to ask Hunter a few questions about his mindset and the challenges he’s overcome.

Quick note: I had to trim this interview to fit the email character limit. You can read the full feature over on Joker Mag.

After you were diagnosed with cerebral palsy on your left side at 9 months old, what did the doctors say you would and “wouldn’t” be able to do?

My parents told me that the doctors had told them that I had suffered a stroke that had severed my right peduncle as it went into the brain stem.

I would have limited use of my left arm and left leg. I am a left-side hemiplegic or a left-side hemi.

This also caused me to suffer from dystonia which causes partial paralysis.

I was born with “Dystonic Cerebral Palsy”. According to the ‘National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’, “dystonia is a neurological movement disorder caused by involuntary contractions that cause slow repetitive movements or abnormal postures that can sometimes be painful”.

“Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture,” as defined by the CDC.

The doctor's words that I have used to motivate me and drive me harder than most are that I would have a lot of issues trying to walk, would never run, and would be raised in a wheelchair.

They said that I would not be able to live a normal life on my own and that my parents would have to raise me for most of my life.

These words have pushed me to work harder than anybody I know, I want to “Prove them all wrong”!

My parents have always told me that I can do anything that I set my mind to and that I should never let Cerebral Palsy define me.

They have encouraged me to never let obstacles stop me from trying what I want to do.

My dad is a retired Army Colonel and helicopter pilot. He has taught me since I was very young to not fear anything and not back down from a challenge.

He has always told me that "Everybody has fears, even in combat, and being brave is nothing more than facing your fears and doing it anyways”.

So, I have taken the doctor’s words as a form of negative motivation to push me and my dad’s advice to always face my fears, to heart.

Between the doctors’ words and my parents' support, I have lived my whole life with the motto “Prove them wrong!”

Tell me more about some of the challenges you faced growing up with your health and the obstacles you overcame to get to where you are today.

I was in and out of the hospital a lot with 100s of doctor’s appointments.

I have had 3 or 4 surgeries, and 11 years’ worth of Botox shots up and down the left side of my body, every 3 months with 20-25 shots at a time.

My dad would have to hold me down for them.

I have had 2 complete cord blood stem cell infusions out of Duke University, have been in numerous constraint therapy camps, and have had a few gait studies.

Some of the physical challenges were trying to walk initially and then walking normally.

I did not take my first steps on my own until I was nearly 3 years old.

Shortly after my first stem cell infusion, my parents would work with me every night to strengthen my legs and teach me to walk with two straps around my waist to hold me up.

My parents called them walking wings.

My parents kept a diary with videos of it all on a CaringBridge site – my dad had come home for lunch before taking his unit back to Iraq I stood up on my own, said dada, and walked to him.

My mom was able to get it on video.

It took me years to learn how to walk and run without tripping and I still walk and run a little different than most.

So, playing sports has always been a tough challenge, but I have been determined. I played 7 years of Soccer, 5 years of flag football, and tackle since 7^th grade.

I am the long snapper on my Junior Varsity Football team.

I have the greatest coaches ever on my high school football team at Boerne High School. They have encouraged and supported me to play. They do not treat me any differently than any other athlete, and they push me as hard as anybody else on the team.

One of the biggest challenges that I have had to face is fitting in with other kids and being treated as normal.

Because my dad was on active duty in the Army for 30 years, we moved a lot over my life, every 2-3 years.

Just as soon as I got comfortable with my situation and with friends, we would move. It would start all over again trying to make people understand why I cannot use my left arm, why it is tucked under my armpit, and why I walk funny.

Making friends has always been a challenge for me.

The first couple days in the school lunchroom or on the playground, as the new kid is bad enough but one that has physical issues makes it one of the scariest places in the world. 

You have nobody to sit with or talk to.

Children can be mean with their words, especially when they do not understand and even the adults have always stared at me.

So, I am open with my CP and will tell anybody all about it. My parents have always been open about it with me and others.

Since my dad has retired and we have lived in Boerne, Texas for over 6 years, I have made a lot more friends. The support of the teachers and football coaches at Boerne High School have really helped a lot.

If you could travel back in time, what would you tell your younger self who was struggling with walking and talking?

I would tell myself to not be scared, to not be embarrassed, or care what others are saying about you – and to not let people bother you.

More importantly, never be afraid or let others tell you what you can or cannot do. Do not let your disability define your limits. You are the one to push the limits, redefine them, and set the limits yourself.

Never fear and "Always prove them wrong.”

Your father, Glenn, wrote: “Nobody has the drive, heart, or work ethic like Hunter! He will go down fighting before quitting, no matter how much it hurts his pride. And nobody has faced more adversity than he has!” Where does that drive come from? What keeps you going when times get tough?

My dad has told me over and over that he feels like this has taught me how to deal with adversity, and he tells me because of that, I am stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally than most of the soldiers that he has commanded.

My drive comes from deep inside myself to be able to live as normal of a life as I can possibly live.

I want to be considered a normal person with the same dreams and desires as a person with no disability.

People can be ignorant and mean when it comes to dealing with a person with a disability.

We have feelings, and it hurts when someone calls you a handicap, makes fun of you, or tells you that you cannot do something.

I take that as a personal goal to be able to do what you say that I cannot do. It makes me want to prove them wrong and like my dad said, I will die trying.

I want to show people and the world that I am more than just a kid with cerebral palsy. Do not feel sorry for me – I will pass you by and beat you.

How can our readers support you?

We document my journey on all of these accounts:

• My Instagram account is hunter_moore.123

• My TikTok account is hunter_moore.123

• My Father’s Twitter is @TGlennMoore3

• My Father’s Instagram is @glenn_moore.123

• My Father’s TikTok is glennmoore423

👉 If you enjoyed this interview, or learned something from Hunter, please share it with a friend!

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TOP STORIES 🗞️

⚾️ Before becoming one of the greatest pitchers of all time, Sandy Koufax was a struggling southpaw who nearly quit baseball to work for an electronics business. [Joker Mag]

⚽️ They’re being compared to the best underdog squad in soccer history. Meet Girona FC, the most unlikely title challenger in La Liga. Even if you’re not a ‘football’ fan, you’ll love this story. [Matias Grez & Patrick Snell @ CNN]

🌊 “He’s like a torpedo.” Armless swimmer Guo Jincheng made history by setting a new world record in the men's 50m freestyle. This one is worth the watch. [NBC Sports on YouTube]

FEEL-GOOD POST ☀️

My favorite part is how supportive his friends are!

Thanks for reading! 🤝 

If you enjoyed this edition, reply to this email and let me know which story you liked most.

Or, just vote in the poll below (you’ll be done faster than Bo Jackson’s 40-time) 👇

Your feedback helps me make this the best newsletter it can be.

Enjoy the playoff games today!

Til next time,
Tyler

Extra Innings…

• Love reading my work? A few people were asking, so I set up a virtual tip jar where you can buy me a coffee & directly support this newsletter. I put my heart into every story I publish, and your support means the world to me ❤️

• In case you missed it: Here’s how a 5'2" high school freshman became an NBA star through "unrealistic" self-belief.

• Exciting news: As of this writing, Hunter Moore’s story has received more than 80,000 views on Reddit’s UpliftingNews section! Go upvote the story here and help spread the word.

• Something to watch: When I first clicked this 12-minute YouTube video, I had no clue I’d be witnessing an award-winning short film. 

• Subscriber Spotlight: I’m no sports bettor myself, but reader Eric P. provides a refreshing approach to the industry. In a world where 95% go into hiding when their “picks” lose, Eric is building a brand around healthy and helpful sports betting.

• If you made it this far: Enjoy this impressive clip that a wildlife photographer risked his life to shoot.