“A true champion will fight through anything.” Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
I broke a rib the morning before a 200ish mile team relay race (Ragnar). I ran because my team needed me, and it was just a broken rib. It only hurt whenever I breathed.
Another time I broke my toe the morning of a race. Still ran.
I took a full side kick to the side of the knee (and it bent 90 degrees in a direction knees don’t go). Four people held me while it was put back in. The next night I was teaching class with an ankle to hip brace under my pants, showing up 45 minutes early so no one would see it until after we were done.
Any parent has done the equivalent and more. Being sick to their stomach but taking care of their puking kid. Being exhausted yet still making food or getting the kid to school or being up all night and still working the next day.
The addict fighting to stay clean as they lose their job and the world shuts down around them during the Pandemic.
The homeless student committed to completing their degree.
The parent working multiple jobs to keep their home and family.
These are the champions fighting and refusing to yield that surround us. They don’t get the flashy belt, they just hitch up their big boy or girl pants and do what they have to. They deserve our cheers.