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Oct 20, 2010

"Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe." --Gail Devers

Athelete Defies All Odds

Four years ago, Yelandi Rivero was confined to his bed at home, paralyzed from the waist down. Rivero was seriously injured in an ATV accident. Doctors told him he would never walk again. But Rivero refused to accept that diagnosis, and was determined to return to the racquetball court. Using a walker after a year and a half of rehabilitation, he started showing up again at his outdoor racquetball facility. Now, he is back on the courts with his playing partner of 15 years, Tommy Ale. In a remarkable performance, the duo finished second in the Gearbox 2010 Florida State Outdoor Racquetball Men's Pro Doubles. That match is nothing compared to the battle Rivero waged to recover from the accident. "To look back and to see where I am now, I am very thankful," Rivero reflects.