From the day he was born, Bobby Martin had to fight against things most of us never have to. Born differently abled, many things in life for him were bound to be a struggle.

But Bobby would find out that some obstacles in life can never be predicted…

My Three Sons

When Gloria Martin was pregnant with her youngest son and had her first ultrasound, she had a feeling that something was wrong. She couldn't see her baby's legs. Her doctor tried to reassure her that everything was fine, saying that his legs could be concealed.

Something Isn't Right

But when Gloria couldn't see her baby's legs in the next three ultrasounds, she was certain that her doctors weren't giving her the full story. "They were making excuses, because they didn't want me to worry," she said…

Fears Confirmed

When she first saw her 7 pound, 13 ounce baby boy, her concerns were confirmed. Bobby Martin was born without any legs and would also require surgery for lower intestinal tract complications.

Born a Fighter

But even from birth, Bobby was determined not to let his disability get in his way. He was walking, in his own fashion, at 15 months, on his hands and hips. "He has always done the things he wants to do," Gloria said. "I tried to raise him that way." But Bobby's struggles didn't stop there…

Absent Father

When Bobby was only 2 years old, his father left. That left Gloria to raise her toddler with special needs and her two other sons all by herself. The newly single mother struggled financially.

Spoiled Rotten

Regardless, Gloria did her best to give Bobby the best life she could. "I didn't discipline him the way I did my other children," Gloria said. "I spoiled him from the start"…

Schoolyard Scrapper

Perhaps she spoiled him a bit too much. When he entered grade school, Bobby's anger over his missing father, his strong will, and a bit of a short temper all combined to lead to some behavioral problems. Several times a week, he would get into altercations with other students.

Turn Around

As he got older, Bobby's disciplinary problems only got worse. He was getting into fights even more often. That all changed with the help of a mentor in 8th grade…

Father Figure

When Bobby was in 8th grade, he got the attention of Coach White, his middle school's wrestling coach. Though he only weighed 92 lbs, it was clear that Bobby had a lot of strength. He had abandoned his wheelchair entirely in the 7th grade because he said it slowed him down.

Like a Fish to Water

Coach White thought that wrestling might serve as a productive outlet for Bobby's energy and suggested he come to practice and give it a shot. Bobby took to it immediately…

Unique Strategy

Because he had no legs, it was difficult for Bobby to get a pin in a wrestling match. So he and Coach White devised an interesting strategy to overcome that challenge. "You'd get 2 points for a take-down," said Bobby. "So I'd tackle him, let him back up, and then tackle him again. And they wouldn't know what to do."

Hot Streak

Bobby got better and better. In high school, he went on an undefeated run that took him all the way to the Ohio state wrestling championship. Unfortunately, during the final match, he suffered from a torn rotator cuff and was defeated, making him the second best wrestler in the state that year. But Bobby wasn't done taking on new challenges yet…

New Frontier

In his senior year of high school, Bobby decided he would try out for his high school's football team. "My brother played when I was little," Bobby said. "He kind of inspired me. I wanted to try something new. In my head, I think I can try anything. I'm going to try and see if I can do it or not."

Growing Into It

At first, it was extremely difficult for Bobby, causing a lot of strain on his shoulders and arms. As his muscles and calloused hands improved, so did his confidence. His ability to move around the field improved drastically. He even sacked the opposing quarterback in his first game…

Not So Fast

But the biggest challenge of Bobby's football career wouldn't be overcoming his physical challenges or even from going up against other players. A few weeks into the season, during the halftime referees informed Bobby that he couldn't continue the game.

An impossible Requirement

According to the specifics of the rules, each player needed to be wearing shoes to play. "I was like, 'I don't have [feet] so how could I put them on?' " said Bobby. His coaches protested but the referee's ruling stood and Bobby had to sit out the rest of the game…

You'll Be Back

Bobby was crushed. "I was kind of sad because I'd never been told I couldn't do anything in my life," he recalled. He wept on the sidelines as his teammates went on to play. "My principal told me not to worry about it," Bobby said. "I'd be back the next week."

Making a Fuss

But his school refused to let such a ridiculous interpretation of the rules keep Bobby from playing. They protested with the state athletic body and news outlets all over the country picked up the story. Sure enough, Bobby returned to the field the next weekend, coming onto the field to raucous applause, even though it was an away game…

Popularity Boost

Bobby, well-liked among his schoolmates, was now even more popular. He ended up becoming homecoming king, accepting the award at the halftime of a game, poetic justice for the indignity he suffered at the hands of the referees. Bobby even won the ESPY award for Best Male Athlete with a Disability.

Seeking to Inspire

Bobby was always aware of the impact his story has on others, saying "I want to inspire people to get out and do something. I just want to inspire everybody to never give up, never give up, because I never gave up on anything a day in my life."