TYLER, Texas — Will Butts is a track star in the making, but he’s not the typical runner you’d see every day on the field. This East Texas teen is defying odds daily and is an example that anyone can truly do anything as long as they set their mind to it.
He's set to compete in an international track and field competition next week called the World Abilitysport Games.
"I am a congenital quadrilateral amputee with Hanhart Syndrome so all for my limbs are amputated at some point by birth," Butts said. "So what that means is that I have to have prosthesis for my legs and I've tried stuff hand wise, but most of time I can just do things fine."
Butts was born in Dallas but raised in Tyler and by age 7, he and his sister Ellie Butts were named the Children’s Miracle Network’s Miracle Children in 2012.
Their mother Katie Butts said before her son was born she had a lot of concerns with his diagnosis.
"I went through the list of all the what ifs running through my head and running wasn't even on the list," Katie Butts said. "I was just hopeful he could walk."
Will Butts did much more than walk, he ran and set a national record in a long jump competition at 8 years old. Next week at the age of 16, he’ll be a part of a team of 22 athletes with Move United traveling to Thailand to compete in the World Abilitysport Games.
"We want to show what athletes with physical disabilities can do as opposed to what they can't do," said Shuan Butcher, the communications manager for Move United. "When we look at criteria, we look at results, we look at the hard work, and the training that athletes put into day in and day out in order to be able to compete at the elite level."
Butcher also said that many athletes use international competitions like this to help them qualify for potentially complete in the Paralympic Games. Will Butts said having the opportunity to compete in the Paralympics has always been a dream of his.
"I have wanted to run the Paralympics so I'm definitely using this, if I can, as a stepping stool for kind of that first foundation of international competition on a world level," Will Butts said.
His mom said her son has always talked about the Paralympic Games since he was about 6 or 7 years old.
"That became his dream," Katie Butts said. "So watching this unfold and seeing some of his dreams start to take a really firm shake is really fun and just humbling."
Will Butts said nothing will stop him from pursuing this dream.
"I don't know what the future holds," Will Butts said. "But again, I really hope not because that would stink."