Just a few years ago, Roderick Sewell was a homeless teenager with no legs who was failing school.

Today, he’s a world-class athlete, he’s the first in his family to graduate college and he just made history, becoming the first above-the-knee double amputee to complete a Ironman, the 140-mile triathlon considered the world’s most grueling race.

His life started turning around when he got involved with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, an organization that not only provides running legs for disabled athletes — it provides a pathway to a successful life.

Roderick agrees. He says he’s so much more than “just a guy with no legs,” and he wants people to know that they, too, can overcome any obstacle in their own lives.

“I just came to race, but it’s cool. I like being the one who makes people want to do better,” he tells Growing Bolder.

Watch this story and see how Roderick overcame challenge after challenge but never gave up his will to succeed.

Thank you to the Challenged Athletes Foundation for sharing some of the video in this story. Click here to learn more about this life-changing organization and how you can help an athlete’s dreams come true.