One More Step
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MCD: Two people who have had some of the biggest impact on my life were two people I literally knew for such a short time before their deaths, Jakey and Michael Clarke Duncan (MCD). Thank you MCD for believing in me so much to donate your valuable talents to the documentary. Your life was so far different than mine but you never let fame change you. Your past was your reminder of where you came from and what made the person you were.
Greg LeFever: Going from a neighbor in Newport Coast to becoming such an integral part of my life journey, especially through some of both our darkest moments in our lives, I enjoyed our trainings so much. You selflessly donated all your time, came to races, had me over for dinners, and most importantly showed the confidence in me even when I was having doubts during training. You pushed me harder in those workouts than I ever thought was possible.
Friends: From my best friend of almost twenty-five years, Fitzy, to others who have come into my life briefly but with impact, thank you for loving me and including me with all my imperfections and mistakes. You make me laugh and keep me grounded and the crazier things are, the more I need that.
Billy and Cannondale Team: You all worked tirelessly, making sure everything was perfect for the ride of my life I would need to make the cutoff time at Ironman. We all knew it would come down to the bike portion, and you gave me the bike of my dreams. You reached out to all your contacts to make sure I had everything I needed at every race. I rode the bike with such pride. Billy, your positive attitude is so infectious. Steve, Murray, and gang, thank you for coming out to Kona to give me everything I needed. You are all a huge reason we conquered Kona.
David Abrutyn and IMG: David you saw something in me before I did and took a big risk signing me at IMG. You have worked so hard to build your career and name and it is such an honor you have given me the chance. You are so talented and such a vision of so many things that have all come true for me. You are one of my mentors and I respect you for all you have accomplished in your life. Thank you for believing in me!
Ron Seaver and NSF Family: We both took a risk when you hired me and I left my job at ADP to chase what I thought was a dream to be in the sports industry. It was by far the greatest choice in my career and I came away with so much more than a career . . . I came away with my first family that is tied to work. Ron, you are so amazing in how you handled my coming out to you about my CP and showing me what true work ethic is. Dave Mullins, you helped me out so much at NSF. To all the others who gave me advice, encouragement, and love, it has been a journey of such happiness with your help. Thank you all for everything you do for me and my foundation.
My sponsors and donors: I can physically do Kili and Ironman, but truly the only way we are helping change the lives of so many children is through the generosity of my sponsors and donors. From Young’s, many of our suppliers, Oakley, Cannondale, and so many others, I have turned down other offers because I only want to have people and brands associated with my foundation that embody the same character. You have changed so many lives with what you have done for me and my foundation.
Juliana: Thank you for showing me hope when life appears to have given you no chance of survival . . . from walking on your knees for the first sixteen years of your life to still showing that amazing smile of yours during your darkest times. You will have everything you ever dreamed of if you want it!
Andrew Wabuko: Your sacrifices and generosity to be there for the doctors and Juliana, translating morning, noon, and night to allow for her to get the best care possible even under the toughest unforeseen circumstances. You always stayed true to the amazing person you are! Asante sana!
Kili Climbers: Thank you to all who spent so much energy on this amazing trip! From our team lead, Tim, to Turtle for her medical expertise, to Nancy for being so nurturing from the moment we set off on this journey. To all of the support team—Minja, Moody, Bariki, and all—you were first class and went so far above and beyond to help our team make it safely to the summit. I owe you a huge debt of gratitude. Every trip over to continue helping your country we talk about how that was the beginning of my love for Tanzania and the amazing people.
Ironman Family: From all the amazing pros who took time to give me advice and support but, most importantly, Chrissie Wellington for so many conversations and your friendship! To Diana, Dr. Bob, and the awesome team at Ironman and in Kona! Without you there would be no race and platform for so many athletes to show the character that lies within all of us but so few ever tap into. Thank you for allowing me to show mine in 2012 and for believing in me and my quest.
Lisa, Matt, and HarperCollins: Thank you for your trust in Neal and me to deliver this amazing project! You believed in us the most and have given such great guidance, advice, and now friendship. For someone who knew nothing about the book industry, you have been patient with and supportive of me. You understood what a sensitive subject this is for me and my family. Proud that you are our publisher!
Neal: When I met you to interview a ghost writer, I had no idea what to expect and if this journey was going to be best with someone who would be like a friend or a brother or dad. What I got was someone that I feel so comfortable with but so different than anyone I am close with. You are such a brilliant writer and researcher, but more than that you spent two years of your life eating, sleeping, and living my life. It’s not easy to get that out of me and you handled it so well. You allowed me just the right leniency but had such a great way of pushing me past my limits and not letting me just gloss over some important things in my life. This was truly the hardest thing I have ever done with needing to go back into my childhood and some very unpleasant moments in my family’s past. You wrote the truth but did not make it any harder on us than it needed to be.
About the Authors
BONNER PADDOCK is a successful business executive and the founder of the OM Foundation® (OMF), serving the needs of children with all types of disabilities. He lives in Laguna Beach, California.
NEAL BASCOMB is a former international journalist and the award-winning author of six bestselling books, including The Perfect Mile and Hunting Eichmann.
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Credits
Back cover photograph by Shane Reichardt
Copyright
ONE MORE STEP: My Story of Living with Cerebral Palsy, Climbing Kilimanjaro, and Surviving the Hardest Race on Earth. Copyright © 2015 by Bonner Paddock. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
FIRST EDITION
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Paddock, Bonner.
One more step : my story of living with cerebral palsy, climbing Kilimanjaro,
and surviving the hardest race on earth / Bonner Paddock.
pages cm
ISBN 978–0–06–229558–3
EPub Edition February 2015 ISBN 9780062295590
1. Paddock, Bonner. 2. Cerebral palsied—United States—Biography.
3. Mountaineering—Tanzania—Kilimanjaro, Mount. 4. Triathlon—Training.
I. Bascomb, Neal. II. Title.
RC388.P33 2015
616.8'360092—dc23
2014035608
15 16 17 18 19 RRD(H) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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