2008: Staci Rene Perrigo-Venneman Omaha
Staci Rene Perrigo-Venneman never shied away from competition. Born without a right arm below the elbow, Staci began competing in swim meets at the age of eight. At 12, she earned a spot on the United States Amputee Athletic Association swim team, competing in international events in England, Australia, South Korea and Holland. In […]
2009: Alex Gouldie St. Paul
An amputee who lost her lower leg when she was 2 years old, Gouldie, a senior at St. Paul High School, has played first base on the high school softball team and played for the U.S. Paralympic volleyball team.
2010: Jason Branigan Papillion
A two-time state wrestling champion and an all-state football linebacker, Jason Branigan was diagnosed with testicular cancer, brain cancer, and cancer of the lymph nodes while a high school senior. The diagnosis followed a loss in the 1991 state semifinals where Branigan, nearly doubled over with pain in the third quarter, continued to play until […]
2011: Tom Heiser Lincoln
Dr. Tom Heiser suffered a physically limiting spinal cord injury in Maui, Hawaii, in 1990, but never let it keep him from an outstanding career in orthopaedic medicine. He no longer works as an operating surgeon but continues to champion a career as a physician, utilizing his exquisite diagnostic knowledge and experience while managing care […]
2012: Keefe Lodwig Elkhorn
Keefe Lodwig enjoyed success in his youthful swimming days, winning a high school state championship while attending Omaha Benson and winning a handful of Big 8 championships while swimming for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. But it wasn’t until many years later, when he started competing in Masters events that Lodwig displayed the success that can be […]
2013: Olajuwan Wilson
As an 11 year old OJ was diagnosed with acute Myeloid Leukemia. While in the hospital, he suffered two strokes and slipped into a coma. His grandmother who had raised OJ since he was nine months old was told that any breath he took could be his last. Now 16 and with his cancer in […]
2014: Josh Jones
Josh Jones saw his promising basketball career at Creighton University end after he fainted during warm-ups for the Nebraska-Creighton game in December of 2012 Jones has undergone surgery to correct heart issues when he was a student at Omaha Central and went on to lead the Eagels to the state title, but the condition developed […]
2015: Kenzie May
Born without a right hand and forearm, Kenzie May of Indianola quickly adapted and grew into an outstandng athlete at Southwest High School, playing volleyball, basketball and track. She earned all-state honors in volleyball and won three high jump medals at the state track meet. May was selected to play in the Nebraska Coaches Association […]
