TATYANA MCFADDEN, 17x Paralympic Medalist, Team USA, Nike Athlete: Ya sama! (I Can Do It!)

Record Paralympic medalist, multi-world record holder, Nike athlete, and Team USA wheelchair racer, Tatyana "The Beast" McFadden, joins The Brink of Midnight Podcast with John Brenkus. Born in Russia with a hole in her spine caused by spina bifida, Tatyana spent the first six years of her life in an orphanage. Six years without going to school, never using a wheelchair, and walking on her hands until Deborah McFadden, then Commissioner of Disabilities for the United States Department of Health, adopted her. Tatyana got her first wheelchair, and with her remarkable drive and determination, the rest is literally history. She made her first Paralympic Games in 2004 at the age of 15 and, in 2013, went on to become the first human being to win the grand slam of marathons - Chicago, London, Boson, and New York City. Tatyana repeated that same grand slam victory tour in 2014, 2015, and 2016! In 2016, she broke the world records in 100, 400, 800, 1500, and 500 meters. The very next year in 2017, Tatyana survived a series of dangerous blood clots that nearly killed her and she believes that marathoning saved her life. At the root of Tatyana's fierce competitive nature is her desire to live big, push limits, and grow. We all can learn a lot from Tatyana! For full show notes, visit: www.brinkofmidnight.com | Contact: [email protected] | Connect on Socials: @brinkofmidnight (twitter, instagram, Facebook) and @johnbrenkus_ (twitter)