Page 41 - ABILITY Magazine - Avril Lavigne Issue

ABILITY 41
LUEEPER TAKES STAGE DURING NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND
S Paralympic sprinter Blake Leeper was invited to participate in the NBA All-Star Weekend
festivities Feb. 13-15 in the NBA’s Celebrity Game in New York.
Leeper drained a 3-pointer, grabbed two rebounds, dished three assists, and snagged three steals for an all-around performance during his 14 minutes of action.
“Here I am, shooting a 3, a guy with no legs,” Leeper said with a laugh. “There are some pretty amazing athletes who came from Kingsport (Tennessee), and of all people, it’s the kid with no legs who’s shooting 3s in Madison Square Garden, playing on an international stage. It’s a blessing and a testament that if you work hard and stay focused, you can overcome any challenge and do anything you want to with your life.”
Leeper said the weekend was special for him to meet with celebrities. He played on a team coached by New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, but he said meeting comedian Kevin Hart was the highlight.
“Kevin Hart, he’s a clown,” Leeper said. “That guy is one of the funniest guys I have ever met in my life. Chadwick Boseman, who played Jackie Robinson and James Brown, he was one of the coolest guys I met. We talked a lot and exchanged stories.”
After the Celebrity Game, Leeper met Naomi Campbell’s agent and signed on to participate in Campbell’s Fashion For Relief show that Saturday night. Campbell established the Fashion For Relief event in 2005 for the industry to raise financial support for causes each year. This year’s event raised money for the Ebola Survival Fund.
Leeper took to the runway in a US Paralympics cap, white shirt, and black leather shorts show- ing off his sprinting blades.
“It was pretty cool to say that I was able to be in a big-time fashion show and show people who I am and what I represent, US Paralympics,” Leeper said. “I was able to show that just because I do have a disability, I function at a high level so don’t treat me any different.”
Leeper embraces his role as torchbearer for the Paralympics and disability.
“I’m trying to be an ambassador for US Paralympics but also for people with disabilities because a lot of people see people with disabilities as not being able to do much,” Leeper said.
Citing the success of Paralympic star Amy Purdy on the television show “Dancing With the Stars” and the incorporation of disability into Super Bowl commercials and movies such as “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” Leeper said he is thrilled that disability is taking the stage at various places.
“Just because you have a physical disability, the boundaries and bar is often set low,” Leeper said. “But it’s time for a change and to let the world know you can do whatever.”
SPRINT CELEBRITY GAME PLAYERS Kevin Hart (Comedian)
Ansel Elgort (ABC’s “Blackish”) Anthony Anderson (ABC’s “Blackish”) Common (Artist, Actor “Selma”)
Mo’ne Davis (Little League baseball player)
Win Butler (Arcade Fire)
Chadwick Boseman (Actor, “42”)
Nick Cannon (Host, “America’s Got Talent”)
Allan Houston (New York Knicks General Manager) Chris Mullin (NBA Hall of Fame Player)
Blake Leeper (US Paralympic Athlete) Michael Rapaport (Actor)
Robert Pera (Memphis Grizzlies Owner) Kristen Ledlow (NBA TV Host)
Abhishek Bachchan (Bollywood Star) Shoni Schimmel (WNBA’s Atlanta Dream) Skylar Diggins (WNBA’s Tulsa Shock) Tina Charles (WNBA’s New York Liberty)