ALLENTOWN Pa. — Motivational speaker and athlete Zion Clark was born without legs and was a victim of abuse and abandonment during childhood.
Now, he’s coming to the Lehigh Valley to tell his story of perseverance for Disability Awareness Month.
- Disabled athlete and motivational speaker coming to Allentown
- Will speak at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network on Wednesday
- The event is free, but people should register for a ticket
"We need to be looked at and given the opportunity for things to be inclusive and bring awareness to those with disability as were often under represented," said Clark, who is an All-American wrestler and mixed martial artist. He recently shared his experiences with the world through an Emmy Award-winning Netflix documentary, "Zion." He reflected on making the documentary by saying, "it was a great experience to create global reach with my story and to know how many people were positively impacted by it."
At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, he will share his message, "Turning Your Losses into Wins," at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network, 850 S. Fifth St., Allentown.
"Don’t be defined by your disability in determining what you’re capable of."Zion Clark, All-American wrestler and mixed martial artist
"I want people to know we can be just as or even more successful than the person next to us. Don’t be defined by your disability in determining what you’re capable of," said Clark.
The presentation also will include a question-and-answer session. Check-in and light refreshments will begin at 5:30, and Clark will hold a meet-and-greet from 7:30-8 p.m.
The evening event is open to the public, but seats are limited and registration is suggested.
“The theme that we selected for this talk is one of perseverance," Good Shepherd President Michael Spigel said.
"So we really look for someone who has just really great story of determination and commitment, someone who would be very authentic and genuine and someone who we felt would be easy for the audience to connect to.”
“We believe we have a responsibility to do more than just care for our patients, but really advocate for their causes and on their behalf."Michael Spigel, President & CEO, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network
In a release, Good Shepherd said, "With relentless optimism and a no-excuses mentality, Zion continues making the impossible possible every day — and he is sharing his story of building community through perseverance with the Lehigh Valley.
Spigel said this is just the first community event Good Shepherd plans to hold.
“We believe we have a responsibility to do more than just care for our patients but really advocate for their causes and on their behalf,” he said.
“We plan on doing two different events where we bring speakers, from whether it's in Pennsylvania or outside Pennsylvania, to Lehigh Valley. The first is this event where we bring somebody who really has a powerful message like Zion will have.”
Spigel said April’s event will be an innovation summit.
