Paralympian Sees No Barriers to Success

For nearly three decades, Paralympian and health advocate Kevin Saunders has been motivated by three simple words: never give up.

In 1981, the Kansas native was working as a federal inspector for the U.S. Department of Agriculture when a grain elevator he was examining exploded.

Despite a bleak prognosis, Saunders survived the accident but found himself paralyzed from the chest down and struggling to find meaning in his life.

Saunders' Christian faith and deep-seated belief in his own potential fuelled his recovery. Over the next few years, he overcame divorce, bankruptcy and depression to become a world-class athlete.

These days, Saunders focuses on passing his message of hope and inspiration on to others as a motivational speaker and health activist. In 1990, he became the first person with a disability to be appointed to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

And, in 2004, Saunders pushed his racing wheelchair more than 2,500 miles from Canada to Mexico to encourage communities to come together and embrace fitness. Throughout each challenge, his message remains one of perseverance.

"You can't be strong, brave, successful and a winner if only good things happen to you," Saunders says. "You have to go through the tough times and obstacles to find out what you're really capable of."