On Jan. 23, 2001, April Holmes heard five words that would change the course of her life; those five words were: Did. You. Get. Her. Leg. This is what she heard as she was being loaded into an ambulance.
Holmes vividly recalls that time and how she lay there contemplating life and death.
“I didn’t know if I was going to live, had no clue if I was going to die. All I knew was that I was underneath this platform with this train on my leg and I knew I needed some help,” said Holmes.
Saint Leo University welcomed April Holmes, the NCAA inspirational athlete of the year for 2015, on Monday Oct. 12. Holmes came to talk about her story and to inspire the students of Saint Leo University to pursue their dreams and work hard.
Holmes speech brought in several groups of athletes on campus. She took a group photo with the cross country team and recognized the female soccer team.
In 2001 Holmes was boarding a train in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to head to New York City with her boyfriend at this time. As she was boarding the train, being the last to board, the train operator began to depart without closing the doors, and Holmes tripped and tumbled beneath the train platform where the train then rolled onto her leg where it sat for 17 minutes.
At this point she thought of all the good things she had done in her life and how she wasn’t ready to go. She thought of things that maybe she should have done differently. The snow on the track reminded her of her childhood and the snowball fights she would have with her sisters and friends. It brought all the good times she had to the forefront of her mind. She also thought about every church song or upbeat song she could.
“As I was laying there, I kept thinking to myself how much I love music. Music, no matter what kind of music you listen to, it always has a beat. I kept thinking to myself that if I continued to get my heart to beat on the beat of different music and different songs then of course I’d be alive by the time they rescued me from this train,” said Holmes.
In describing her accident, Holmes stated that her rescuers were attempting to lift the train up as if to jack the train up like a vehicle. Holmes suggested to start up the train and simply back it off of her leg. The paramedic in turn passed on this piece of advice and Holmes was finally freed from under the train.
Holmes held onto the idea that at 27 years old, she was too young to die. She had so much more that she wanted and needed to do.
To this day, Holmes recalls being in surgery and hearing a man say that he’s going to take her to see her family. At this time she didn’t know if this man was taking her to see her grandparents in heaven or her mother here on Earth. She knew that if she saw her mother’s face that she was alive.
Shortly after hearing those words, Holmes awoke to see her mother in her hospital room.
“I’m blessed to still be alive. It just wasn’t my time to go,” said Holmes.
She later awoke in the hospital to find her leg had been amputated. “People at church would always say, you know God doesn’t give you any more than he knows you can handle and so I sat there so many times like God you really must think I’m a strong person man because I don’t know why you chose me to take this path in life,” said Holmes.
Holmes began running track at a young age. Her mother had originally placed her in different extracurricular activities ranging from ballet to piano lessons – which she did not enjoy. At this point she realized her competitive nature and her love for athletics.
“So I began running track when I was about five years old and I just loved it. Being outside, being around new people, being able to travel all the time and meet new people, and just that’s when I probably recognized that I was a more competitive person,” said Holmes.
While Holmes has many things and people that have influenced her throughout life, she believes that her mother and God have played the largest roles in her success and achievement.
“They’ve been there since day one, they’ve taught me so many things about life. They’ve given me hope. They taught me faith. They’ve just been like a shield around me,” said Holmes.
Holmes ran track through all four of her undergraduate years at Norfolk State University where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies. She then went to work until she decided she did not enjoy what she was doing. April decided to go back to school for her masters at this time and enrolled at the University of Phoenix where she received her MBA in marketing.
About two weeks after Holmes’ accident her doctor had brought her magazines about the Paralympics. At that time she thought he was crazy. Later while flipping through the magazines with her sister she came to realize a new dream for herself.
“The more and more I flipped through the pages I just kept dreaming. Just dreams started forming in my head and I could just feel like my blood start to boil. Like I need a leg, I need to get out of this bed,” said Holmes.
April Holmes defined three goals for herself that day; to represent the United States at the next Paralympic games, to become the fastest amputee in the world and to win a gold medal.
Holmes had a coach who was close to her and had helped her learn to run when she was a child. She decided after the accident to go back to him to teach her how to run again.
To learn to run without a leg is like learning to run for the first time. Since he taught her to run the first time she felt that he could teach her to become great again.
Holmes spoke of obstacles that she faced after the accident. One main obstacle she faced was self-identity.
“You’re born able-bodied and you have all your limbs and you’re healthy, especially being an active athlete, sometimes you just take that for granted,” said Holmes in questioning her self-worth.
Holmes goes on to say that over time you face many obstacles with things such as health issues and dealing with her prosthetic leg. She continues with the issue of being a woman. Buying shoes that she can wear. She said that it was probably one of the hardest things about being an amputee.
When first arriving in rehabilitation, Holmes was driven and determined. She did not want to appear old and weak. She certainly did not want to walk with a cane or a walker. She believed that she was simply too young for that and that they were for older people.
Each time the doctor would try to have her walk with something to assist her she would walk forward without it. Every time the doctor asked why Holmes would honestly reply.
“I am too young. Too cute. And too sexy,” said Holmes.
Determination and pride drove Holmes quickly towards her goals.
Michael Jordan himself has said, “She is a tremendous athlete, but more importantly, she is an incredible person. She has overcome so much, and remains one of the most positive people I have ever met. April’s strength of character and the motivation she provides to others are truly an inspiration.
Famous for many reasons, Michael Jordan, is Holmes favorite athlete. She is inspired by Michael Jordan and how he has made been an inspiration to people all over the world, young and old.
“He has taken his love, his gift, his talent to a whole other level to the point where he had kids all over the world, even adults all over the world believing that they could fly,” said Holmes.
Holmes is the first female athlete to be sponsored by the Jordan brand and is proud to say so.
Just two years after Holmes lost her leg she broke three world records in the heats at the Athens Paralympics since then, she has been virtually unbeatable. At age 35 she aimed to win a Paralympic gold medal it appeared that she was on track to win until her legs crossed and she took a hard spill. Later that day Holmes lined up for the 100 meter T44 final race in lane 6, initially the race was too close to call but after review it is determined that Holmes has won the gold medal.
“It’s great to be fast it’s great to be the best but all things that go up they must come back down, I don’t want everything I am to be tied into the fact that I’m the fastest person in the world because there will come a time that I won’t be,” said Holmes.
“I just so wanted to be the best person I can be,” said Holmes.
“People are so afraid that they may fall. People are so afraid that, you know, they won’t necessarily fit in to all athletes, to all persons with a disability, I just implore them to at least try,” said Holmes.
“Whatever goal you set for yourself, that should be your Paralympic game,” said Holmes.
Holmes then instructed the attendees to follow her example; every morning while brushing your teeth, give yourself a two minute pep talk. She went on to explain that if an individual starts their day off positively and hears something negative one is more likely to stay positive and not be affected by it.
“One of the things that, promises I made to God a few years ago was that if he gave me a gold medal I would take it everywhere and I’d let people see it, hold it, touch it,” said Holmes.
“I don’t see myself as disabled, I see myself as an athlete,” said Holmes.
Holmes motto for her program which addresses overcoming obstacles and achieving greatness is, “Stop Limping Thru Life and Start Running!”
Holmes has several different leg attachments for her various activities. She has a leg for golf, weight lifting, sprinting, walking and jogging. These different legs help her to adjust to her life as an amputee.
Throughout her career in the Paralympics Holmes has won three medals. She will be retiring after the 2016 Paralympic games in Rio De Janerio. She will be missed on the track but will continue to travel and speak to inspire students all over. Before departing Holmes autographed pictures of herself and took pictures with those that attended the event.
On the subject of disabled athletes and all disabled persons in general, Holmes voiced her opinion and said that she believes that things have drastically changed for those who are disabled. The internet has become a large component in accessibility for disabled persons. Technology overall has aided in bettering the lives of the disabled.
“The more and more disabilities begin to affect our families, the more it comes closer to home the more and more people begin to think about it,” said Holmes.
April Holmes’ family began to notice those with disabilities after her accident. They would speak to these people and in fact ask them if they knew April.
Holmes laughed and went on to say, “we all don’t know each other.”
According to April Holmes on NCAA.org, Holmes said “I used to pray for the opportunity to have a career that allowed me to travel and meet new people. I didn’t specify that I needed all ten of my toes to do it.”
At age 42, Holmes has decided after retiring she will continue to travel and speak publicly about her accident to inspire others.
