We are very proud to say hello to our first Bloodsister Ambassador, Flo Brungraber! He has a remarkable story to tell which he wants to share with you.
When life gives you lemons..
Hi, my name is Flo Brungraber and like most of us austrians I’ve been raised in a little village. Therefore sport has always been an important part of my life. When I grew up I pretty much did it all..mountain biking, skateboarding, snowboarding, motocross as well as running. Due my adventureous personality I eventually found a new passion in my mid twenties: paragliding. I loved the feeling of absolute freedom, gliding through the air, the birds eye view. And then…2011, the year my life turned upside down: an unpredictable paragliding accident resulted in serious spiral courd injuries, which finally lead to an incomplete paraplegia. When I got informed that I’d have to stay in a wheelchair for the rest of my life my life turned upside down in a second. Priorities shifted, dreams bursted. However, I didn’t lose heart and moved on to therapy, highly motivated. After many months and daily trainings sessions I literally came back on track and found a new passion: thriathlon. I certainly faced different and tougher training conditions, but thanks to adapted sports equipment I’ve been able to train effectively and pursue my newly set goals. Two and a half years after the accident I eventually reached another turning point in my life: my first, official thriathlon competition. The moment I crossed the finish line pushed by a wave of emotions, all the struggles seceded and I was left overwhelmed. All the hard training finally paid off. The kick off of a new era.
Based on my story I’m truly convinced that fighting for your dreams always pays off. The positive feedback I receive through my sport constantly verifies that. Doing sports strenghtens your body and coenesthesia at the same time. A credo I constantly spread within my social environment. In my personal opinion one needs to have a certain goal to push yourself at all times. Therefore I’ve set myself a new challenge, the Ironman 70.3.
What I get impressed by? People, who are brave enough to leave their comfortzone and fight for their dreams, not matter what others tell them or think about, no matter how tough the initial position might be. This is why I support the Bloodsister foundation. I would like to encourage talented people to believe in themselves and to realize their dreams. I would like to show them that you can still make excellent lemonade when life gives you lemons.
Foto: http://www.rlc-sterngartl.at