Photo courtesy of Bob Lujano.
The 25th annual Mayor's Prayer Breakfast will take place Tuesday, April 28 at the Vestavia Country Club and will feature speaker Bob Lujano.
Lujano is the author of the book No Arms, No Legs, No Problem. He suffered physical abuse as a child and at the age of 9, contracted a rare form of meningitis. In order to save his life, his limbs were amputated.
If Lujano had decided to pack it in, or curl into a ball, then he would not have inspired others with his story. He would not have earned an undergraduate degree from Texas-Arlington or a masters in sport management from the University of Tennessee. He would not have won a bronze medal in the 2004 Paralympic Games in wheelchair rugby. He would not have been featured in the Academy Award-nominated documentary about wheelchair rugby, Murderball.
He would not been a sought-after motivational speaker. He would not be in his current role at Lakeshore Foundation in Homewood, where he is information specialist through the National Center of Health Promotions Physical Activity and Disability.
He would not be the national advocate he is for athletes with disabilities.
Part of the reason he wrote the book, with co-author Teri Schiro, was to “shatter stereotypes and myths,” he said. The Hoover resident lives in his own home, drives and does daily living like anyone else without assistance.
“I feel that I’m what an independent person in Birmingham is supposed to be doing. I have my own job. I’m involved in my community, in my church, with my sports team … it’s about being as active as you can and being a part of your community.”
Another part of the reason he wrote the book was to thank God for what he’d been through. And that is a message that is certainly particular to Lujano’s journey but can be adapted to anyone’s life.
“More than anything, it’s to make people realize that no matter what you go through – and some people will hear my story and say, ‘You really got a bad deal from age 5 to 10’ – at the end of the day, I’m still thankful for the struggles, the hard times, because they shape who you are and who you’re going to be.”
Lujano adds, “Without my faith in God and support of family and friends, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
