Me with Ali (green shirt), her roommate and other competitor. (5/21/09)
Ali flipping a 400 lb tire.
Ali trying to lap the 116 lb stone.
Ali with her 1st place trophy, and the Bulky Boy shirt/stickers I gave her.On July 13, 2009 I was on a connecting flight in Phoenix. I received an email from a client, asking if I knew this young lady on a KOMO4 News video clip.
I opened up the email, and almost cried on the plane when I saw that on July 4th a boating accident had happened in Vantage, WA. A girl had her left leg cut off above her knee in that accident.
That girl's name was Ali McWeeney. I had met Ali earlier this year at a Strongman contest in Ellensburg, WA.
On May 21, 2009 I was the MC for the "Central Washington University's strongest man & woman" contest.
Ali was one of 4 girls that competed. She was a track athlete at the university, and threw discus, shot put and the hammer. She will be a senior this Fall. She did unbelievably well, and WON this contest. BULKY BOY was kind enough to have me donate a t-shirt to each class winner, along with some stickers for the students.
When I found out it was her, my heart just dropped. However, what stood out in that newsclip, was that she is ready to accept this challenge of rehab.
Here is a link to the news clip, after the accident:
This past Tuesday, I went up to Harborview Medical Center to visit Ali. She had no idea I was coming.
I got to the room, and she was shocked to see me and asked how I found out about the accident. Poor girl was so drugged up on painkillers because they had changed her dressings earlier that day. But, she was trying her best to stay up and talk with me.
I made her day when I gave her a contest t-shirt from my recent "Washington's Strongest Apple" contest, and told her that I hope to have her come by next year to watch it. She said, "Grant, I am going to compete in your show one year with my prosthetic leg!" Hearing that, just made me melt, and I am so glad that she has this spirit within her.
She even had 2 pairs of dumbbells by her bedside, so that she can do Incline Dumbbell presses in her bed and Bicep Curls. Ali even hopped off the bed on her one leg, and showed me that she was able to do some tricep dips on the chair in her hospital room.
With this kind of attitude, Ali will be able to recover quickly. It was so funny....she said, "Grant, I lost those Bulky Boy stickers you gave me at the CWU contest. I was so upset! Do you have any more? I want to put them on my wheelchair."
Don't you worry Ali. I'll get more stickers for you, and if you ever need any help, I will be there to help keep pushing you along.
HIGA MONSTER.
