COLUMBUS, Ohio — While Olympic games are underway, athletes in the Paralympics are getting ready to compete later this summer. 

One Paralympian from Ohio is particularly inspiring after defying the odds. 

What You Need To Know

• Blake Haxton gets ready for the Men’s Sprint Canoe at the Paralympics this summer


• He’s overcome a lot after losing his legs to a flesh-eating disease


• The Paralympic Games Paris 2024 will begin August 28

Blake Haxton is representing Team USA in the Men’s Sprint Canoe at the Paralympics this year.

While he’s enjoyed the sport since high school, it’s not exactly been smooth sailing. Everything changed when he became ill during his senior year of high school.

“My right calf hurt,” Haxton said. “I felt like muscle soreness like we’ve all had and then woke up Sunday morning. I was like, ‘wow, it’s getting worse’.”

But the reality of it was much worse than he imagined. Doctors determined Haxton somehow contracted a flesh-eating disease, but as for the cause, they couldn’t explain why. Within days, they put him on life-support.

“The disease will do so much damage to you that they put me on like a heart, lung, kidney, liver failure,” Haxton said. “Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. But basically, the damage did in my system. I didn’t get any blood flow to my either my legs.”

While doctors saved his life, they couldn’t save his legs.

“They ended up amputating my left leg up to the hip, and my right leg above the knee, and then woke up about six weeks later with no infection, really bad shape. But other than that, like everything was okay.”

After defying the odds, Haxton is determined to inspire others to never give up, making the best of what life throws at you.

“I tell people, like, ‘I got unlucky one time, but no, really unlucky’,” he said. “Like, you contract a flesh-eating disease. That’s bad luck. But I do wish people could see everything that I’ve seen through my eyes, because this had absolutely nothing to do with me and how many things had to go right in the right order for me to wind up getting to be here and representing the United States. So many things had to work out.”

While getting ready for his third Paralympic games, he’s more than ready to bring home more wins.

“Here I am 33, and I’m still getting to compete at something I enjoy at a high level. It’s awesome. I never thought I would get to do that,” said Haxton.

But win or lose, there is one thing Haxton can count on, and that’s Team USA: “Go USA! It will be a good summer!”

The Paralympic Games Paris 2024 will begin August 28.