The Ottumwa Courier

Opinion

September 5, 2012

Congrats to Matt!

Our Opinion

OTTUMWA — His determination, hard work and the desire to be the best have shined a light on Fairfield’s Matt Stutzman.                                  

And over the holiday weekend, Matt’s efforts paid off when he earned a silver medal in archery at the 2012 London Paralympics.

His story, which has been featured numerous times in the Courier, other newspapers, including the London Telegraph, and television news reports, is nothing short of remarkable.

The “Armless Archer” as he has become known, will tell you he’s just a regular guy, who despite being born with no arms, “just got on with life without them.”

And so his feet and legs double as his hands and arms, doing everyday activities like driving or getting dressed, and yes, even shooting a bow and arrow.

The latter, of course, is why we celebrate Matt. All the long hours of training he has put in have made him one of the best archers in the world, and his efforts over the weekend prove that.

Southeast Iowa, the state, as well as the nation have a lot to be proud of thanks to the efforts of one man from Fairfield who never let adversity stand in the way of success.

Congratulations, Matt!

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