Some of us are born with the heart of a champion. It’s twofold in the Pease family in brothers Kyle and Brent who compete as a duo in marathons and ironman competitions. As a push-assist team, Brent, an endurance coach at the Dynamo Multisport Center in Chamblee, pushes Kyle in a three-wheel wheelchair. Kyle was born with cerebral spastic quadriplegia affecting all four limbs.
Last October, they competed in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.
“It was our fourth ironman and recognition of the work that we’ve been doing in the community,” said Brent. “We are only the second team like us to do it [complete the race] in 20 years. It was the hardest one day event that we could’ve taken on.”
Since the Pease brothers’ first event in 2011, they have inspired and supported other push-assist endurance teams through the Kyle Pease Foundation. The foundation is located near the Chamblee/Vista Grove area in DeKalb County.
The group provides adaptive sports equipment for wheelchair athletes, funding for race entry fees and travel, and separately home renovations that provide easier movement within. The foundation raised $714,000 in 2018.
The non-profit also provides job opportunities for athletes with disabilities. Staff helps with media and social media engagement, and administrative duties. Many will take part in a weekend camp of recreational activities at Camp Twin Lakes, April 12-14. Camp applications are currently accepted online.
On March 17, the brothers and other push-assist teams representing the foundation competed in the Publix Atlanta Half Marathon.
Pease foundation athletes are looking ahead to the AJC Peachtree Road Race. Competition in all races brings out the grit and determination in both the able-bodied and participants with disabilities.
“There are no shortcuts,” said Kyle, a full-time greeter at Piedmont Hospital. “The greatest thing about this sport is it’s allowed me to be an athlete and it’s something that I have always wanted since I was a little boy.
“One of the biggest goals for the foundation is to give others [with a] disability, a sense of hope and show them that anything is possible.”
kylepeasefoundation.org
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