HAZLETON, Pa. — Students at Penn State Hazleton sat down to listen to American professional wrestler, Paralympian, and powerlifter Rohan Murphy share his success story and inspire them to follow their dreams.
"To share my story and to tell you how I overcame not having legs," said Rohan Murphy.
Murphy was born with a birth defect that left both of his legs deformed.
"Well, when I was born, my kneecaps were actually on the opposite side. When I was born, my legs were backwards. That's how bad deformed my legs were," said Murphy.
At the age of four, Murphy had both legs amputated, but that didn't stop him from having a successful wrestling career. He was even coached by WWE star and American professional wrestler Brock Lesner. Murphy recalls Lesner telling him to walk 100 yards.
"Coach Lesner told me because the workout was so difficult, I didn't have to finish, but I told coach no because I'm the type of person that when I start something, I'm gonna finish it. So 100 yards just like that," added Murphy.
After proving many people wrong, Murphy hopes to motivate others to pursue their passion and not let any limitations keep them from it.
"Just to find their purpose in life. Find something they want to be great at in life, and go pursue it, and go achieve their goals. I think anytime I can give someone a different perspective on life, that's what it's all about. That's key; that's priceless. I mean, perspective as you all know that's priceless, and that will take them a long way in life," said Murphy.
Students even got to see a little bit of the strategy that helped him become a professional wrestler.
"If I put my head to the outside, I don't have leverage; I can't take him down. He's too strong, he's too athletic, but by simply putting my head to the inside. Giving myself some leverage, watch what happens. Just like that," said Murphy.
"The fact that he has this disability and he's able to do so much and like I said, even more than some people that don't have disabilities can do, it's really inspirational," said Zander Switzer, a sophomore at Penn State Hazelton.