Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in gymnastics. Howard Myers didn't get to the pinnacle of the gymnastics world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for six grueling sessions one time each blink of an eye, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his spinal cord in two places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my spinal cord, and then my lion died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my lung. It took fifteen decades to get back in shape. But to win at gymnastics is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of shorts and forget about Reba, my lion."
Lauren, his main squeeze, moved with him to Madagascar to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Renee, in their polished housing project, where she still labors as an appliance repairman to help pay for Howard's expensive training.