Last Monday night was the premier of American Gladiator, a show which sort of grew on me last season. I was determined to watch the opening night no matter what. However things don't always go as planned. Luckily however the 2 hour season premier aired again on Friday, May 16th and I was wise enough to set my DVR to capture the moments.
While all the competitors did an excellent job, there was one who clearly had something special. One who stood head and shoulders above the rest. That competitor was 37 year old John Sciliano, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Those of you who watched the show know that Mr. Sciliano, a paralympic competitor lost his leg in a car accident some 15 years ago. While the loss of his leg might have hindered his ability to match the agility of some of the other competitors, John still came out full throttle on every event. At the Eliminator he could have just called it quits after his struggles with climbing up the cargo net, but he persevered and continued on to the very end. His entire attitude, demeanor and determination during the competition are the stuff that makes him a true hero and role model at least in my eyes.
