Mesa man inspiring amputees through sports and comedy
Mike Bolland was born with just one hand, but that never held him back as he became a pro bowler. He's retired now, but still inspiring the limb loss community. Mike Bolland, a professional bowler from Mesa, was born without his right hand but overcame it to become a successful pro bowler. Despite retiring, Bolland continues inspiring the limb loss community through his passion for sports and comedy. He uses his bowling skills to volunteer for the Arizona Disabled Sports program and is the first person with limb loss to do so. Bolland's performance on his podcast, "We're Not Stumped," has received responses of laughter and tears.
发表 : 10 个月前 经过 Author: Lina Washington 在 Sports
Mike Bolland was born with just one hand, but that never held him back as he became a pro bowler. He's retired now, but still inspiring the limb loss community.
Example video title will go here for this video
Example video title will go here for this video
Mesa's own Mike Bolland found ways to make light of his limb difference throughout his life and last month he took the stage at the Herberger Theater in downtown Phoenix to share more about his life as a congenital amputee.
“I have no problems having one hand. It's something I can't even imagine -- having two hands. As I say sometimes, ‘I don’t know how you people walk around those two things!’ It's not something that I'm used to,” Bolland said. “My mom and dad were very supportive, and they never gave me a break because I had one hand. I was expected to do everything that my brother and sister were expected to do.”
Bolland was born without his right hand but that never held him back. As a teenager, he took up bowling his natural talent and his desire to get better, leading to success on the lanes.
“I won my first state bowling title by the time I was 16, and by the time I was 21 or 22, I was able to earn my PBA card and bowl on the Pro Bowlers tour and be the first person with limb loss to do that,” Bolland said. “I don't bowl at all [anymore], but what I do is I use my bowling now to volunteer for the Arizona Disabled Sports. They have a bowling program and I think I have more fun volunteering for the program at the Arizona Disabled Sports than I even did on tour.”
These days, Bolland is focused on making an impact in the amputee community. On his “We're Not Stumped” podcast, people open up about their experience with limb loss.
“I got a lot of responses saying that [audience members] both laughed and cried because some of the stories are very personal to me,” Bolland said. “It was an honor to be able to move people that way.”
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.