The Games Were Only The Beginning
Paralympians and Sports Envoy ExchangeAlumni Josh George and Lacey Henderson have a long list of accomplishments. But while they no longer compete globally in the Games, both athletes have continued to leave a lasting impact on their communities.
Josh George, considered to be one of the best wheelchair athletes in the world, is a six-time world champion Paralympic racer. He won the gold and silver medals in the 800 and 100 meter races in the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, and he’s also competed in countless marathons, winning three Chicago marathon titles and the London marathon in 2015.
Josh lost use of his lower body at age four when he fell out of a 12-story window. He didn’t let this deter him, though, and he pursued a love for sports – first through basketball, and then wheelchair racing – competing for the United States in 2004 at the Athens Olympic Games.
In the midst of setting world records in Chicago and London, Josh was selected as a Sports Envoy for the U.S. Department of State. In 2014, Josh traveled to Brazil, where he and fellow Paralympian ExchangeAlumni Allyson Felix connected with more than 500 at-risk youth, many of whom were disabled, around overcoming adversity and the value of discipline.
Since his athletic career, Josh has set out to encourage others to “maximize their potential,” drawing on his own Paralympic journey to inspire those disabled and from minority backgrounds to embrace the talents they have and realize their potential.
“I’ve had a lot of limitations in my career as a racer. But it’s forced me to think more creatively and devise a strategy to succeed within my limitations,” he says.
From a Family Affair to Advocating for Others
Track and field star Lacey Henderson has lived with a disability since she was nine years old, when she had to have her right leg amputated just above the knee due to a rare soft-tissue cancer. After her father, an elite pole-vaulting athlete himself, challenged her to a bet that she couldn’t pole vault more than a few feet (she did!) Lacey discovered her passion in track and field. She would go on to become an American record holder, competing in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Lacey now works as a disability advocate, using her platform to fight for equality and access for people with disabilities. Her time as a Sports Envoy brought her to Peru and to Mexico, where she engaged with countless youth around topics of resilience and determination.
Lacey’s work has expanded into policy-making, too. In Colorado, she was instrumental in helping to pass legislation in 2023 that would require insurance companies to cover the cost of prosthetics for recreation, arguing that “movement is medicine.”
Outside of their work in youth engagement and disability advocacy, Josh and Lacey have also created space to pursue personal interests.
Josh’s most recent chapter has included chasing his love for food and opening a barbecue joint in San Diego with his brother, Smokin’ J’s. Lacey’s podcast, Picked Last in Gym Class, has given her a platform to reach thousands of listeners as she delves into topics of inclusion and accessibility. Most recently, Lacey was also selected to host the upcoming 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris with NBC as the first Paralympian in-country host.
From their athletic careers to advocacy work and youth engagement, Josh and Lacey are incredible examples of athletes who have drawn on their experiences and platforms to drive meaningful change, share the power of resilience, and elevate the voices of those with disabilities in sports and beyond.