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Ascension Parish gym owner brings home second gold from Transplant Games
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GONZALES - Ascension Parish resident and transplant recipient Mike Bradley won his second gold medal in the national Transplant Games.
Bradley had a cornea transplant in each eye when he was 18. He was diagnosed with Keratoconus, an eye condition that causes the cornea to thin and bulge outward into a cone shape. He had to immediately make a life-changing decision because Keratoconus can lead to blurred vision, double vision, nearsightedness, irregular astigmatism, and light sensitivity. Keratoconus usually affects both eyes and can worsen over time.
More than 20 years after his surgery, Bradley still does not let either his transplants slow him down. This year he won gold in the 60-metersrun and two years ago he won gold in 100-meter run.
Since moving to Louisiana from Mississippi 12 years ago, Bradley opened a gym and has been running it since. He says that meeting other athletes through the transplant games has brought meaningful connections.
"You meet couples that lost their 17, 18-year-old daughters and sons and donated their organs and now they are friends they have become family with the people who inherited those organs and it is just mind-blowing."
Gym member Dwight Wright says Bradley is an inspiration and finds motivation to push through obstacles after hearing Bradley's story.
"Come work and take your mind off of things, and he is the perfect person for it," Wright said.
You can find more information about the Transplant Games here.
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