Terpenning Family

Crippled by polio during infancy and abandoned by his American G.I. father in Vietnam, James nevertheless considers himself one of the luckiest people in the world. He was supposed to be airlifted out of Vietnam on a military plane that crashed, killing all the children and aid workers aboard. Instead, he had safe passage, leading to a new life in America as an adopted son in an Ohio family. While growing up, James competed in wheelchair sports and later represented the U.S. at the Paralympics, where he earned both gold and silver medals. He continues to serve his country in civilian technical support for the Air Force and by helping disabled veterans. James also is a frequent speaker at schools, educating children and teens about living with special challenges.