The 2010 Winter Olympics are currently taking place in Vancouver right now as you probably already know. It seems a good time for me to focus on an athlete who needs our support for this week’s blog entry. Unlike most of the other charities and volunteer organizations I cover, this one is all about one person: Tucker Dupree.
Tucker Dupree is a star swimmer with the medals to prove it. He is a 20 year-old guy with public speaking skills and a drive to succeed. He is also legally blind. According to his website, he “lost his vision at age 17 when he was diagnosed with a rare disease called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON).” At an age where many kids might give up and feel sorry for themselves over a loss like that, Tucker did not. That is what makes his story so amazing. He focuses on his ability rather than his disability. As of this writing, ”Tucker, a gold medalist and world record holder, is one of the top blind swimmers in America holding a World Record in the 100m Butterfly, 25 American Records and 6 Pan-American Records.”
A typical day for Tucker is very much the same as a day for any other world class athlete. He wakes up, trains, has lunch, and trains some more. You can get a glimpse into his world on the “About” page on his site. On the same page you will also see a long list of awards, recognitions, and medals including the one for that world record.
While training and competition takes up much of his time, Tucker is also available for public speaking engagements around the Triangle. You can view a list of his upcoming appearances on his “Calendar” page. I am told that he is a very engaging and inspiring public speaker. He also shares his thoughts and stories in his blog.
Training and competition cost money. That’s where the “charity” part of this story comes in. Tucker has one corporate sponsor listed in his page, Ambutech, and is in need of more funding. You can donate through his website or help out by buying his T-shirt and wrist bands in the site’s store.
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