MARLA RUNYAN

Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. Even though Marla
Runyan was diagnosed with Stargard’s Disease, a genetic condition that causes progressive
vision loss, she managed to overcome her disease and become the national Olympic champion
athlete of EEUU. First, she refused to give up because of her disability and decided to study
education for deaf and blind students. Then, she discovers something that she can do as well
as everyone else, running. With this in mind, in 2000, she became the first legally blind person
ever to compete in the Olympic Games. Finally, she discovered that the secret to achieving
something is holding yourself accountable for your choices, learning from your mistakes, re-
grouping and moving on. In summary, Runyan never gave up and didn’t make excuses for the
difficulties she went through. That is why she achieved success.