Anyone who’s ever been to NYC knows that the city isn’t exactly built for people who don’t have have two fully functional legs. There are stairs everywhere and a serious lack of wheelchair-accessible facilities. Worse, renovating these spaces to make them more accessible can be far too pricey for many business owners to afford. So many people have to make do with what they have.
That’s exactly what Renzo Gracie himself did when a para athlete came to train in the “Blue Basement” at RGA. The BJJ practitioner uses a wheelchair, and given that the academy currently doesn’t have another way to get downstairs, Renzo decided to take matters into his own hands (and onto his own back) and carry the visitor so that they could train together. It may not have been the ideal situation, but it was a commendable move from an academy owner and coach who did whatever it took to ensure that this practitioner could come train with everyone else.
Take a look:
