6. Quadruple ambition 
Josh Ruchotzke finished off a remarkable four-year baseball career at Farmington (Ill.) just two years after enduring quadruple amputations due to the streptococci bacteria.
Photo by Del Mecum
There were truly countless inspiring stories of athletes overcoming long odds throughout the country in 2012-13.
But then there was
Josh Ruchotzke.
A
quadruple amputee at the age of 13 due to streptococci bacteria, which
ravaged his organs, tissues and blood flow, the senior from
Farmington (Ill.) was a two-year starting second baseman for the Farmers.
Josh Ruchotzke hit almost .300 in 2013.
Photo by Del Mecum
In
his just-completed senior year, he hit .279 with 15 RBIs (third on the
team). All with two prosthetic legs above the knee, and two badly
disfigured hands.
He was largely put back together,
piece-by-piece, limb-by-limb, by the Denver Clinic for Extremities at
Risk. The rest was up to a very athletic, determined young lad, an
extremely loving and passionate family, and a highly supportive community.
"It
took a lot of time and struggles to get used to all my new parts and
the equipment and the prosthetics," Ruchotzke said. "It was definitely
challenging. But I never really got down because I just focused on all
the positives. So many people were willing to help me out so I just took
advantage of it."
When he returned to the field, his dreams of
playing in the major leagues had waned, so his new goal is to become a
major league general manager. A straight-A student, Ruchotzke earned a
scholarship to national baseball power Vanderbilt where he will serve as
team manager.
"If my story can help inspire others and raise awareness then I'm more
than happy to tell it," Ruchotzke said. "Honestly I've never really got
down about all of it. I just try to think about all the positives, all
the people who have supported me and all the resources I've been given. I
just keep reminding myself that it's all going to work out for the
best."
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