Great Story of Perseverance Paying Off
Like many people in today’s America, Arthur Boorman had let himself go. He’d eaten too much of the wrong foods. He hadn’t exercised. He weighed nearly 300 pounds.
But Arthur had another obstacle to overcome: he was a disabled veteran, all but crippled after too many parachute jumps. He had to wear a back brace and knee braces. He needed two canes to walk. His doctors told him he’d be that way for the rest of his life — and for a long time, he believed them. Even if he wanted to get healthier, he couldn’t exercise because he could hardly stand.
Despite these obstacles, Arthur made up his mind that he wanted to improve. He found a yoga instructor, Diamond Dallas Page, who was willing to work with him. At first, Arthur couldn’t do any of the yoga routines. He could only stretch one arm up if he held onto a chair with the other. He couldn’t kneel, and he couldn’t do lunges. Nearly every move brought him tumbling down.
But he didn’t give up. Arthur kept trying the yoga routines his instructor set. Slowly, painfully, he began to develop more flexibility. Slowly, he began to build up his muscles and lose fat. Each day, he could do a bit more — maybe only stand one second longer, but the seconds added up.
A year later, Arthur had lost 100 pounds. When he stopped losing weight, he’d dropped 140 pounds total. Now he can walked unassisted, run, jump, and stand on his head.
Despite the chronic injuries, despite his over-burdened body, Arthur Boorman kept trying . . . and he succeeded.
