Advertisement

Ten-year-old amputee inspires others by not letting his disability hold him back

Diego posing with army veteran Jose Sanchez / Instagram

Ten-year-old Diego Mercado may be an amputee, but he doesn’t let that stop him from achieving his goals and inspiring others along the way.

Diego is a young boy who was born without a right leg and only two fingers on his right hand. Despite missing some appendages, this young man is able to perform a workout that may put most able-bodied people twice his age to shame.

Viral footage shows Diego decked out in army fatigues, performing pushups and flipping tires at the Warrior Fitness Center in San Antonio, Texas, with army veteran Jose Sanchez, a fellow amputee who lost his leg in Afghanistan from an IED (Improvised Explosive Device).

As the Huffington Post reports, Sanchez reached out to the ten-year-old to see if he would like to work out with him after hearing about and being moved by his perseverance.

That’s because of the work Diego does with his father, U.S. Army captain Jason Mercado, for the non-profit organization Team Diego. The father-son team raise funds for and look to inspire both wounded veterans and those with disabilities by participating in various athletic events together.

It was after seeing wounded vets like Sanchez using their prosthetic limbs that Diego realized he too could live a normal life. Diego wishes to join the Army someday, just like his dad, and moments like his workout with Sanchez are big step towards his road to reaching his dreams.

“He has a prosthetic and he overcame his own challenges,” Diego’s father told the Huffington Post about Sanchez’s visit. “He was trying to show Diego he can rise above his own hardships.”