KAYLA — A DISTANCE RUNNER THAT NO DISEASE CAN STOP
Determination. Will. Strength
Perfect synonyms to begin the story of a young girl who defied all odds and fought her way through a deadly disease in order to, fulfill her dream. Kayla Montgomery is basically a household name for long distance running and marathon fans. This 19 year old teenager has stolen the hearts of many and influenced millions of others. Montgomery suffers a constant battle with Multiple Sclerosis but refuses to let anything stop her as she recently finished her first cross country season.
„Where did my legs go? Please help me find my legs!‟ Despite medicines controlling her condition, yet each race takes an immense toll on Kayla‟s legs and she experiences complete numbness as she crosses the finish line and requires immediate medical attention in order to make the pain and symptoms subside.
Aged only fourteen year old Kayla, an enthusiastic soccer player was about to start her high school freshmen year when on an ordinary day she felt a strange tingling stir in her legs and a loss of sensation. Added to that a painful spinal shock compelled her to go see a doctor wherein scanned reports showed early signs of MS, an unpredictable degenerative disease that damages nerve endings which in turn are crucial for muscle control and to enable communication between the body and brain.
However, after suffering eight months of agony, isolation and utter helplessness Montgomery vowed to begin living her life to the best of her abilities. As contact sports were ruled out by her physicians, she switched tracks and decided that she wanted to run instead. Run fast.
Despite being deemed average at best by her Mount Taber High School coach, this young woman with her indefinable passion and courage in the face of such insurmountable odds has turned herself in to a star athlete. Over time Kayla‟s hard work paid off and she improved herself from a common competitor to be categorized as one of the fastest distance runners in her institution, in the state and eventually in the country!
Recently in year 2014, Montgomery won the annual North Carolina State Title by running and winning an astonishing 3200 meter race completed within a time range of mere 10 minutes and 43 seconds as reported by the New York Times. She is now ranked as the twenty first fastest runner in all of the United States.
The effects of Multiple Sclerosis vary largely from one patient to another. Therefore, despite not being guaranteed anything, Kayla gives her everything during each practice. One visible and
prominent consequence of numbness in her legs can never be reversed and thus Kayla collapses every time that she crosses a finish line. As the runner‟s body temperature hikes, all sensation leaves her and she feels no pain nor has any idea how fast or slow her pace of running is anymore. This needs a team of people ready to catch her as she slows down at the end of a race. Later on icepacks and complete rest are the only solution to her constant symptoms.
An influence for all, Kayla along with managing her studies, attending regular running practices and controlling her unique condition also intends to become the brand ambassador for the MS society in the near future. This young girl runs. She runs not for a scholarship. Or to get recognition. Or even to win. She runs for herself. A personal journey of sorts.
In her own words, “As long as I am running, everything‟s fine.”
Montgomery is now a freshman at the prestigious Lipscomb University in Nashville and lives a perfectly normal and satisfied day to day life with her friends and family. She continues to inspire thousands of others who are going through circumstances alike or similar to her.