Inspiring athlete participates in Tropical Triathlon

LAKE WORTH, Fla. -- Hundreds of athletes took part in the 15th Annual 2012 Tropical Triathlon in Lake Worth. One of those athletes was Hector Picard.

Picard, a Fort Lauderdale resident, lost both of his arms in a work accident nearly twenty years ago. Since then, he's competed in more than sixty athletic events like Sunday's triathlon. Picard says, "At some point, somebody told me 'it's too hard, it can't be done,' but I wanted to make them believers."

Since his accident, he's not only competed but has given numerous public speeches to motivate people to achieve their dreams. He says, "I immediately did the 'why me?' when I had the accident. But it turned into 'how do I do things?' I approach everything as a challenge."

In today's race, Picard swam alongside other racers for a quarter mile, rode his bike for 11 miles, then finished the challenge with a 3.1 mile run.

His wife and two kids were at the finish line cheering him on. Picard's daughter, Sophia, says her father is an inspiration. She says, "He's taught me to never give up. I have to run for my karate and sometimes I get tired. But he tells me 'you gotta keep going.' "

Picard has traveled all over the country to compete, and he will soon travel the world. His next big trip will be to Cambodia to compete in a race.

You can learn more about him online at dontstopliving.org.