Memphis Tiger Swimmer Ryan Minks is in the News because of his swimming success! 

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Teen Paralyzed by Spina Bifida Swims Against All Odds

Updated: Tuesday, 10 Nov 2009, 10:06 PM CST
Published : Tuesday, 10 Nov 2009, 8:49 PM CST

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - It was a difficult diagnosis to hear for a Mid-South couple before their first child was born. 17 years later, Ryan Minks is doing everything doctors told his parents he would never do, including swimming. And, his parents are amazed because their son is paralyzed from his knees down.

Sharon Minks remembers her first pregnancy like it was yesterday. Abnormal test results during a routine check-up alerted her doctor something was wrong.

Sharon Minks remembers "when the gentleman who was conducting the ultrasound was done, I said, are you going to tell me what’s wrong with my baby?"

After a spina bifida diagnosis, doctors offered the expecting couple an option of terminating the pregnancy. Doctors warned, complications from spina fida could prove to be overbearing for the new parents.

Alan Minks, Sharon’s husband, says "the neurologist came and sat down with me and said Ryan would never walk, he would never crawl, he would never sit up, and that he would probably have mental problems. Sharon and I made a pact that we were going to prove them wrong."

"I told him, I said, we’re going to have this baby," Sharon remembers telling the doctors.

Describing his mother, Ryan Minks says "she’s a neat, not a neat freak, but she loves to have this house clean."

He’s definitely a momma’s boy. 17-year old Ryan Minks is everything the doctors said he wouldn’t be.

"Ryan is an amazing young man to have spina bifida," his mother proudly says.

"She’s just taught me that I’m God’s gift, she’s awesome because she helped me deal with it," Ryan says.

Ryan is your typical teenager--he talks a lot, likes girls and loves sports. Living with spina bifida hasn’t always paved a path to a rich social life.

Ryan says "I’ve not always had friends because they’ve tried to stay away from the chair. There are people who literally turned their backs on me, but I try to be a friend to everybody."

He has learned his family are his closest friends. And his mother is also his teacher. Sharon took an early retirement after 25 years at FedEx, and being home made her decision to homeschool her boys an easy one. The living room is a classroom for Ryan and his 12-year old brother.

"This is where I finally found what I’m good at, and that’s history, and I love it," says Ryan.

Not only is Ryan a senior in high school, but he’s also enrolled in a few college courses.

"I always say he’s smarter than I’ll ever be," his father says.

Despite his differences physically, Alan and Sharon Minks say their son fully accepts his condition with no hopes of living a different life.

Ryan describes his condition by saying "my back exploded, that’s just putting it lightly, my back exploded, I lost the nerves, and I can’t walk." But that doesn’t stop Ryan Minks. Independent and determined, he still manages to get around, with very little help. "I can do everything everybody else does, just differently."

After school, he and his brother hit the road and head to swim class at The University of Memphis where he swims on a club team.

Ryan says "the more that we do to keep my legs active, the better off I’ll be."

With no inhibitions, Ryan suits up for swimming.

Alan Minks remembers "he’s always been a great swimmer."

When Ryan and his father were thinking of ways to keep the teenager active, they decided the cross training sport was perfect for his paralyzed legs.

At practice, his coach yells into the pool at Ryan, "that’s the kind of work you need to be doing if you want to try to make that Olympic trial cut this year, Ryan."

What started as a hobby has grown to year-round dedication where Ryan travels around the country to compete.

"When we started this, I told him, I said Ryan, you realize you’re swimming against 15, 16, 17 year old young men that are able bodied and you’re going to lose," Alan told his son.

Strong words from dad, but not enough to discourage Ryan. Despite his differences, his teammates respect Ryan, and he’s been able to make friends.

"It’s hard because sometimes people don’t understand what I go through, and it’s hard because they don’t identify with me," Ryan says softly.

He still shows up for practice, ready, giving it his best effort, and he wants no sympathy. "I don’t get any special treatment, and I don’t need it."

Ryan is the only disabled member on his Memphis Tiger swim team, but he still manages to fit in. With modified drills, he works independently of the group, over in the last lane.

"It’s awesome, it gives me a sense of freedom, this water is awesome," says Ryan. It’s freeing, mentally and physically, for Ryan. In the water, he has control of his legs, something he can’t do on dry land. "In [the pool], I can run. Here [in my wheelchair], I’m confined to, as I call it, the metal box."

The spina bifida left Ryan paralyzed from the knees down leaving him with no control of his lower legs and feet.

"I can feel all the way down to my feet. On my feet, I can’t feel at all, I can tell you that you’re touching

me but I can’t tell you whether it hurts or feels good," Ryan says. The paralysis makes it impossible for Ryan to kick, like most swimmers. What seems physically impossible by the laws of science is still manageable. "[I can] butterfly, backstroke, free style, and breaststroke."

His technique may not be perfect, and much slower than the rest. But Ryan puts in time and work to perfect his form on all the strokes.

"Backstroke is my favorite, but they say I’m good at breast stroke," Ryan smiles. He favors backstroke because it gives him his first chance, all day, to relax. "By the end of the day, I’m tired so when I’m in there going backstroke, it gives my shoulders and my back a rest and they don’t feel as tired."

Ryan will tell you he’s far from a swimming superstar, but his competitive spirit is as strong as his able bodied teammates.

Ryan admits "I don’t win at all, I’ll finish dead last every time, so just being able to complete it, just being able to finish and say I did something. That is what makes me feel so good inside."

His father says "Ryan amazes me because it doesn’t bother him, he knows he’s going to come in last, he knows he’s going to lose, but it doesn’t bother him. He’s just excited that he gets to do it, and that amazes me."

"Ryan gets in the water, and he swims, and he knows when the results come out, he’s going to be in last place, and I think that says tremendous things about Ryan," his mother says proudly.

Over homemade pumpkin pie, his family pushes him to the limits, not just in the pool.

His father says "if there is something he wants to do, we’re going to do it." Dad is also coaching Ryan to wheelchair race competitively. Less than a year into the sport, he’s already setting high goals for his son. "We are two seconds away from hitting Olympic standard times in the 200 and 400 meters."

With encouragement from mom and dad, and a listening ear from his brother, Ryan Minks knows there is nothing he won’t be able to do. After all, he’s already proved a lot of people wrong!

Ryan Minks has lost 40 pounds being in the pool. And, he’s hoping to lose much more. He says spending so much time in the wheelchair makes it easy to pile on the pounds.