The Gymnast

<p><em style=color: rgba(51 51 51 1)>The Gymnast</em><span style=color: rgba(51 51 51 1)> might have been an everyman memoir: Patrick grew up hard and fast in the New York of the 1950s and '60s. He found a sport and then a career he was passionate about. Found love raised a family.  </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(51 51 51 1)>Except </span><em style=color: rgba(51 51 51 1)>The Gymnast</em><span style=color: rgba(51 51 51 1)> isn't any old coming-of-age tale. Patrick contracted polio and one of his legs atrophied because of it. He became the boy with the repulsive leg as he called it and for a long time he didn't believe he'd have a normal life.  </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(51 51 51 1)>With grit and dedication (and lots of luck) Patrick forged the life he wanted. He successfully competed on Big Ten and NCAA championship gymnastics teams and coached the sport at the collegiate level. He earned a PhD with an emphasis in exercise science. After a turbulent romance he married his childhood sweetheart and they raised three children.  </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(51 51 51 1)>Humorous and sad heartwarming as much as it is heart-wrenching </span><em style=color: rgba(51 51 51 1)>The Gymnast </em><span style=color: rgba(51 51 51 1)>follows a unique thread that weaves together disability sport and romance. Few stories talk about disabled people dealing with sex romance bullying and competing successfully at the highest level of sport. Patrick may have grown up different but his compelling story will resonate with every reader. </span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(51 51 51 1)> </span></p><p><br></p>