By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
YES, HE was born legless yet fearless, thus peerless.
At nine, he’s determined to show to the entire universe his “might” with his swimming prowess. Kinda weird, but he’s candid.
He’s Lucas Obsiama, a Grade 4 pupil of Special Education (SpEd) Center in Cadiz City in the province of Negros Occidental.
Zach became a gold medalist in three swimming events in the recently-concluded Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) Meet in Makato, Aklan. He snatched gold in 50-meter freestyle, 50-meter breast stroke and 50-meter back stroke.
No athlete with the same condition like him – (double leg) amputee – can swim and can stage a race. Uniquely impossible, but truthful.
PHOCOMELIA SYNDROME
Zach, per his mother, Maria Evita, was born on Aug. 16, 2013 with Phocomelia Syndrome.
According to Tampa General Hospital (TGH) via www.tgh.org, Phocomelia Syndrome is a rare defect characterized, in most instances, by severe malformation of the extremities.
Infants born with this condition, TGH added, have arms and/or legs that are severely shortened or sometimes completely absent.
“Seeing him (Zach) three days after he was born via C-Section, daw malupok ang dughan ko. Daw indi ko gid siya mabaton,” Zach’s mother confessed.
But Maria Evita said it was her husband who enlivened her spirit by always saying: “Gwapo na ‘ya ang akon bata.”
She admitted that, for two to three months, they kept Zach away from the public’s eyes.
“Later, it was his pediatrician who told us to expose him in public and treat him like a normal one,” the mother shared.
“Nakita namon ang pagdaku ni Zach nga bisan may deperensya siya, still he’s sporty.”
Zach, prior to swimming, also loves to play soccer, badminton and volleyball along with his two siblings and cousins.
He himself, the mother said, acts as if doesn’t know or feel he’s special.
Cherill Ducay, SPED-Cadiz’s focal person, is right that Zach’s case is special among specials. He’s too short yet he can swim and compete. Really, no one in WRAA Meet has the same case like him. So, he’s an unmatched swimming champ.
Zach trained in swimming just two months prior to the provincial meet in NegOcc all the way to the WRAA Meet.
Surreal to hear but real to see.
Zach, Ducay said, is qualified to compete in the Palarong Pambansa in Marikina City soon. She, however, said she’ll thoroughly check all the guidelines first.
WANT TO BE A SEAMAN
In class, since Grade 1 up to now, Zach, a “bidakid” in Barangay Zone 3, Cadiz City, is a consistent honor student. He dreams of becoming a seaman.
“But we discourage him from time to time,” the mother related. “We don’t want him to have false hopes.”
Maria Evita also said: “Now that he’s into swimming and we see immense passion in him, we’ll support him at all cost.”
With persistence, Zach could be like Las Vegas pride Amy Purdy.
Purdy lost her two legs from meningitis. Yet she became a world-prized snowboarder. And from snowboarding, she shifted to dancing now that she has prosthetic legs.
Aside from Purdy, Zach could also be like American Paul Martin and Australian Kelly Cartwright.
Martin and Cartwright were (single leg) amputees yet became world champions in triathlon and netball, respectively.
EXCEPTIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Cadiz is so proud of Zach. Mayor Salvador “Bading” Escalante Jr. was “shocked” with his exceptional accomplishments.
On Monday (May 8), the mayor feted Zach and other 2023 WRAA medalists from Cadiz City after the flag-raising ceremony.
The mayor congratulated Zach and advised him to continue with his dreams and journey to fame and betterment.
Likewise, the chief executive vowed to support Zach, among other Cadiz’s athletes ‘till they succeed.
Globally, 15 percent of world’s population or over a billion people are with physical and intellectual disabilities, said the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (PWD).
In the Philippines, UN said, 1.57% of the population has disability. And 17 regions in the country have the highest number of PWDs.
Sad to say, almost 50% of local government units in the Philippines have no Person with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO), the National Council on Disability Affair (NCDA) said.
LIFE-CHANGING
Zach’s determination to defy “life’s odds” is inspiring. Not an easy upshot. Really, it requires balance. And for Zach at nine, this is tremendous.
First to surmount: Acceptance.
Easy to say, hard to swallow.
However, being so young, it doesn’t probably matter to Zach. Good upbringing, perhaps, helped him a lot to face the actuality of his current being. And that’s a superb disposition – to be legless yet fearless thus peerless.
It reminds me of the famous Chinese Taoist Philosopher Laozi also known as Lao Tzu: “He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is might.”
And it is Zach! He conquers others and he conquers himself, too.
Bravo!/PN
