Finding the Body’s Hidden Talent After Injury

Scott Winkler currently holds the American record for Paralympic shot put—posting an impressive  38-foot throw.  Despite being wheelchair-bound—he suffered a spinal chord injury after falling off of an ammunitions truck in Tikrit, Iraq in 2003—Winkler maintains a grueling training schedule, while still taking the time to help other seriously injured and disabled athletes realize their dreams as well.

“I truly believe that every body has a hidden talent somewhere,” Winkler said. 

At the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, Winkler was one of the first Iraq War Veterans to compete for the country; he placed fifth overall in the disability category—and has even higher hopes for his performance at the next Paralympic Games in London, UK in 2012.

Part of “Reelabilities,” a week-long film festival that highlights the struggles and triumphs of people living with disabilities, Tarrytown's JCC on the Hudson screened Warrior Champions, which featured Winkler and three other Iraq War veterans who, despite critical injuries, have gone on to compete at the highest athletic level. 

Winkler is also a founding member of Champions Made from Adversity, a not-for-profit organization that runs both military and civilian programs for people with disabilities.

“We work with participants from 5 to 80 years old,” Winkler said. “We open doors for people, showing that there is life after injury.”

There are more than 20 events in the summer Paralympic Games, ranging from shot put and discus-throwing to swimming, wheelchair basketball, archery and even judo for the vision impaired.

After returning from Iraq and undergoing an aggressive four-month physical therapy regimen, Winkler first took up fishing, which, he said, was amazing for his morale. Winkler then began to play wheelchair basketball, when someone suggested he attend the Paralympic Training Camp in Colorado Springs, CO. 

“I recognized almost immediately my talent for throwing,” he said.

Winkler is traveling with the film festival this week with his wife Brandi. They live in Augusta, GA.

Though everyone in attendance for the film screening and following Q&A in Tarrytown was awed and inspired by Winkler’s story, some were more interested in how suffering a life-altering injury had influenced his perspective on he Iraq War as a whole.

“I would rather go somewhere else to stop terrorism than lose American lives on our own soil, like we did on September 11th,” he said. “We have to let the world know there needs to be an end to terrorism.”

Find out more information about the US Paralympic team here.

Find out more about the “Reelabilities” film festival here.

"Reelabilities" is sponsored in part by the UJA Federation of New York.