Nothing Can Stop Him

Ezra Frech ran with all his might. His powerful legs pushed him forward. One leg was flesh, muscle, and bone. The other was made of a material stronger than steel.

It was August 31, 2021, and the 16-year-old was at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The Paralympics are where the world’s top athletes with physical disabilities come together to compete. 

For years, Ezra had dreamed of winning a medal there. He’d trained so hard his body had nearly broken down. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. Ezra ran faster. His heart pounded. His muscles screamed. 

Would his dream come true? 

Ezra Frech ran as fast as he could. His powerful legs pushed him forward. One leg was flesh, muscle, and bone. The other was made of a material stronger than steel.

It was 2021, and the 16-year-old was at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The Paralympics are where the world’s best athletes with physical disabilities compete. 

For years, Ezra had dreamed of winning there. He’d trained so hard his body had nearly broken down. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. Ezra pushed himself to run faster. 

Would his dream come true?

Ezra was born in Los Angeles, California, in 2005, with a rare condition that affects limbs. The right side of Ezra’s body looked like a typical baby’s. But his left hand had only one finger. His left leg was missing the knee and shin bone. His left foot was near his waist.

What would happen to Ezra? Would he ever be able to walk? There were no simple answers for Ezra’s parents, Clayton and Bahar. After speaking with doctors, they learned that Ezra would need a prosthetic leg, an artificial limb made of plastic, metal, and rubber. 

Ezra got one when he was 11 months old. But the prosthetic leg didn’t fit well. It made walking hard. 

So when Ezra was 2, his parents made a difficult decision. Ezra would have the lower part of his left leg and his left foot removed. 

The surgery would be risky and complicated. Ezra would have to go through months of painful recovery. “It was the scariest thing,” says Clayton.

But Clayton and Bahar felt that the risks were worth it. They hoped that one day, Ezra would be able to walk more easily on his own—maybe even run, jump, and ride a bike. They wanted him to enjoy the life of a typical kid. 

But, they would soon discover, Ezra was not typical. He was extraordinary.

Ezra was born in California in 2005. He was born with a rare condition that affects limbs, or arms and legs. The right side of Ezra’s body looked like a typical baby’s. But his left hand had only one finger. His left leg was missing the knee and shin bone. His left foot was near his waist.

What would happen to Ezra? Would he ever be able to walk? There were no easy answers for Ezra’s parents, Clayton and Bahar. After talking to doctors, they learned that Ezra would need a prosthetic leg. That’s an artificial limb made of plastic, metal, and rubber. 

Ezra got one when he was a baby. But the prosthetic leg didn’t fit well. It made walking hard. 

So when Ezra was 2, his parents made a hard choice. Ezra would have the lower part of his left leg and his left foot removed. 

The surgery would be risky and complicated. Ezra would have to go through a long and painful recovery. “It was the scariest thing,” says Clayton.

But Clayton and Bahar felt that the risks were worth it. They hoped that one day, Ezra would be able to walk more easily on his own. They hoped he would run, jump, and ride a bike. They wanted him to enjoy the life of a typical kid. 

But, they would soon learn, Ezra was not typical. He was extraordinary. 

Soon after the 15-hour surgery, Ezra was given a new prosthetic leg that fit much better. Ezra doesn’t remember the many early tumbles and tears as he learned to walk all over again.

What he does remember is a magical moment—the first time in his life he ran.

He was 4 years old, at a park with his parents. His left leg had been fitted with a special type of prosthetic leg known as a blade. Thin and sleek and made of a light material, it looked to Ezra like an upside-down question mark. It was invented in 1980 by a man named Van Phillips. 

Phillips had lost his lower left leg in a water-skiing accident when he was 21. A lifelong athlete, Phillips was devastated that prosthetic legs didn’t enable him to run. So he spent years trying to design a new kind of artificial limb. Inspired by the legs of cheetahs, Phillips came up with an ingenious design. 

Unlike ordinary prosthetic legs, Ezra’s blade wasn’t just meant to replace his missing bones and foot. The blade also provided the flexibility, power, and energy of muscles and tendons.  

Ezra still remembers his first time running with the blade, how it propelled his body forward. “I felt free,” says Ezra, who’s now 17. “It’s the same feeling I get when I run now.”

Wearing his blade, Ezra began to play soccer, football, and basketball. It turned out he was a gifted athlete, agile and strong.

When he was 8, he attended his first track-and-field competition for people with disabilities. He watched with amazement as runners wearing blades sprinted and jumped, as wheelchair racers zoomed around the track. 

This is where Ezra tried an event called the high jump for the first time. He had to sprint down a path, leap into the air, and throw his body over a bar raised high in the air. 

Doing the high jump is difficult. But Ezra loved a challenge. He was hooked.

Soon after the surgery, Ezra was given a new prosthetic leg. It fit much better. Ezra doesn’t remember learning to walk all over again.

What he does remember is the first time in his life that he ran.

He was 4 years old. He was wearing a special prosthetic leg known as a blade. It was thin and light. The blade was invented in the late 1900s by a man named Van Phillips. 

Phillips had lost his lower left leg in a sports accident when he was 21. A lifelong athlete, Phillips was very upset that prosthetic legs didn’t let him run. So he spent years designing a new artificial limb. Inspired by the legs of cheetahs, Phillips came up with a clever design. Unlike regular prosthetic legs, Ezra’s blade gave him more flexibility and power.  

Ezra still remembers his first time running with the blade, how it propelled his body forward. “I felt free,” says Ezra, who’s now 17. “It’s the same feeling I get when I run now.”

Wearing his blade, Ezra began to play many sports. He was a gifted athlete. He was agile and strong.

When he was 8, he took part in his first track-and-field competition for people with disabilities. He watched athletes wearing blades run and jump. He watched wheelchair racers zoom around the track. 

This is where Ezra tried the high jump for the first time. He had to run quickly down a path. Then he had to leap into the air and jump over a bar raised high in the air. 

Doing the high jump is hard. But Ezra loved it.

As Ezra got older, sports gave him a sense of belonging and helped him make friends. He also learned to better cope with the challenges of having a difference everyone could see. 

“When I was playing sports, I wasn’t thinking about the fact that I was the only kid in my school with one leg,” Ezra says. “It gave me this escape.” 

Slowly, he became more comfortable with his difference. He’d always hated when other kids stared at him. But he grew to understand that most stares weren’t meant to be cruel. Kids were curious about him. And why shouldn’t they be? 

Ezra trained himself to ignore the stares and, when he felt like it, to talk more openly about his experiences. “Having those conversations broke down barriers,” says Ezra’s mom, Bahar.

As Ezra got older, sports helped him feel like he belonged and helped him make friends. He also learned to deal with the challenges of having a difference everyone could see. 

“When I was playing sports, I wasn’t thinking about the fact that I was the only kid in my school with one leg,” Ezra says. “It gave me this escape.” 

Slowly, he became more comfortable with his difference. He’d always hated when other kids stared at him. But he grew to understand that most stares weren’t meant to be mean. Kids were curious about him. And why shouldn’t they be? 

Ezra learned to ignore the stares. When he felt like it, he talked more about himself. “Having those conversations broke down barriers,” says Ezra’s mom, Bahar.

Ezra’s obsession with the Paralympics began when he was 11 years old. He was watching the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in his family’s living room. He was dazzled by the power and grace of the athletes. 

“It was like the universe was telling me, ‘This is what you’re meant to do,’” Ezra says.

He told his parents his plan to make the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, which were scheduled for 2020. (They would end up being delayed until 2021 because of the pandemic.) 

Soon he was training nonstop. He would wake up at 5 a.m. every day to run. He would practice jumping higher and higher in his backyard every afternoon after school. At breakfast, he would scour YouTube videos for new workout ideas.

His training was so relentless that it became dangerous. After a few months, a bone in Ezra’s right leg cracked from overuse. Would this be the end of his Paralympic dreams?

Ezra’s interest in the Paralympics began when he was 11 years old. He was watching the 2016 Paralympic Games at home. He was impressed by the athletes. 

“It was like the universe was telling me, ‘This is what you’re meant to do,’” Ezra says.

He told his parents his plan to make the next Paralympic Games. They were scheduled for 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. (They would end up being delayed until 2021 because of the pandemic.) 

Soon he was training nonstop. He would wake up at 5 a.m. every day to run. He would practice jumping higher and higher every day after school. At breakfast, he would watch videos for new workout ideas.

His training was so relentless that it became dangerous. After a few months, a bone in Ezra’s right leg cracked. 

Would this be the end of his Paralympic dreams?

The injury forced Ezra to stop training. He chose to use a wheelchair for three months to allow the bone to heal properly. His doctors forbade him from running for another three months after that. 

“It was very scary,” he says. “I risked my chance of ever being able to run again.”

But slowly, after hours of physical therapy, Ezra got better. His parents found him a coach who could safely guide him through his training—and also teach him how to rest.

“My performance skyrocketed,” Ezra says. 

At the age of 14, Ezra qualified for Team USA. He would be one of the youngest athletes ever to compete at the Paralympics.

The injury made Ezra stop training. He chose to use a wheelchair for three months to allow the bone to heal. His doctors said he couldn’t run for several months after that. 

“It was very scary,” he says. “I risked my chance of ever being able to run again.”

But slowly, after hours of physical therapy, Ezra got better. His parents found him a coach who could help him train safely. The coach also taught him how to rest.

Ezra says this improved his performance. 

At the age of 14, Ezra made it onto Team USA. He would be one of the youngest athletes ever to compete at the Paralympics.

In August 2021, Ezra traveled to Tokyo with his dad and coach. No spectators were allowed because of Covid-19. But despite the empty stadiums, Ezra felt thrilled and ready. After years of sweat, tears, and sacrifice, he was training and mingling with the world’s best athletes. Around his neck was a pendant that read “Road to Tokyo”—a reminder of everything he’d done to be there.

Finally, it was time for his biggest event: the high jump. As the world was watching on TV, Ezra sprinted toward the bar. In a split second, he leapt 6 feet into the air. He twirled his whole body over the bar, then landed on a thick mat.  

Soon Ezra realized what had happened. His prosthetic leg had touched the bar, causing it to fall down. He knew instantly: This small mistake would cost him his dream of winning a medal. In the end, he would finish in fifth place. 

“I was really crushed,” Ezra says. The disappointment felt like a heavy, painful weight on his chest. For hours, he could barely talk. But now, Ezra sees his loss in a different way. “That moment in Tokyo is used as fuel.” 

He thinks about it every day. It gives him the energy to train for next year’s Paralympic Games in Paris, France, where Ezra is committed to being on the podium.

Whether or not he wins in 2024, his biggest accomplishment may be off the field. He and his family founded an organization called Angel City Sports. There, Ezra teaches other kids with disabilities how to run, jump, and dribble basketballs.

His goal is to inspire every kid to pursue their dreams, no matter how hard it may be. “I had people tell me, ‘You’re too young, you’re not gonna make it,’” Ezra says. “I didn’t listen to them. I worked hard, I believed in myself, and I made it happen.”

In 2021, Ezra traveled to Tokyo with his dad and coach. No one was allowed to watch the games in person because of Covid-19. But even though the stadiums were empty, Ezra felt excited and ready. After years of hard work, he was around the world’s best athletes. 

Finally, it was time for his biggest event: the high jump. As the world was watching on TV, Ezra ran toward the bar. In less than a second, he jumped 6 feet into the air. He spun his whole body over the bar, then landed on a thick mat.  

Soon Ezra realized what had happened. His prosthetic leg had touched the bar. The bar had fallen down. This small mistake would cost him his dream of winning a medal. In the end, he finished in fifth place. 

Ezra was very disappointed. But now he sees his loss in a different way. “That moment in Tokyo is used as fuel.” 

He thinks about it every day. It gives him the energy to train for next year’s Paralympic Games, where Ezra is committed to being on the podium with a medal.

Whether or not he wins in 2024, his biggest accomplishment may be off the field. He and his family started an organization called Angel City Sports. There, Ezra teaches sports to other kids with disabilities.

His goal is to inspire every kid to pursue their dreams, no matter how hard it may be. “I had people tell me, ‘You’re too young, you’re not gonna make it,’” Ezra says. “I didn’t listen to them. I worked hard, I believed in myself, and I made it happen.”