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Waldron’s Guerrero Continues To Run Despite Childhood Accident

14-year old injured in accident as child pushing for future

WALDRON (KTHV) — Waldron is a small town with a big appetite for sports and Fernando Guerrero is one of the top Bulldogs on the rise.

The 14-year-old track star is not only one of the best in his grade, but 9th grade as well. In fact the only thing that runs faster than Fernando is his mouth. “He gets in trouble for talking all the time, he’s very social,” his mom, Misty says.

Fernando is just one of the guys, but everyday for the past decade he’s reminded he’s different.

“He ran down close to the lawn mower and he slipped and fell. When he fell he had his feet out and even then he had a bit of an attitude and he went to kick the lawn mower and one foot went under.”

“I remember starting at the sun and then blacked out. Someone was carrying me crying and screaming and I don’t know who it was, then I woke up in the hospital,” Fernando recalled.

Despite his accident Fernando wanted to do one thing, run. With help of a school councilor Fernando’s family reached out to Amputee Blade Runners, a non-profit organization that provides blades to athletes.

“He had to get reference letters from his teachers, coaches, whoever. He only needed about 3 letters, he got about 20 of them.” Nearly a year after receiving his original blade, Fernando grew so naturally he needed an adjustment. What came back in the mail left the talkative teenager, nearly speechless.

“I’m thankful they made a big difference in my life.”

Fernando will call Waldron home for the next four years but he hopes to run long past his hometown into college and beyond. “Heck yeah, I want to go to the Olympics.”

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