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David Weir: My family values David Weir: My family values
(about 2 hours later)
It took a couple of weeks for my parents to find out I was disabled. Everyone assumed I would be in plaster for three or four months to correct the position of my feet. I might walk with a bit of a limp, but I might not. But then to go back to the hospital to find out there was something wrong with my spine? It must have been devastating and confusing – heartbreaking – but I’ve never discussed that with them. I don’t really want to. It took a couple of weeks for my parents to find out I was disabled. Everyone assumed I would be in plaster for three or four months to correct the position of my feet. I might walk with a bit of a limp, but I might not. But then to go back to the hospital to find out there was something wrong with my spine? It must have been devastating and confusing – heartbreaking – but I’ve never discussed that with them. I don’t really want to.
We lived on an estate and there was a family with a disabled child living there, too. Mum always tells me that she came home and saw the mother pampering her son, doing everything for him, and she remembers saying she would never do that to me. She would treat me the same as my three brothers. We lived on an estate and there was a family with a disabled child living there, too. Mum always tells me that she came home and saw the mother pampering her son, doing everything for him, and she remembers saying she would never do that to me. She would treat me the same as my three brothers.
Having my big brothers around made me more determined, because they would make me do things and never let me give up. I wore callipers and they would make me walk everywhere and just leave me to live as normal a life as possible. For instance, I slept in a room with my brother Paul and I took the top bunk. There’s a big age gap between my half-brothers and me. Alan is 52, Paul is 50, Tony is 44. [David is 35]. I loved Alan like a brother, but I looked up to him like a dad as well. Having my big brothers around made me more determined, because they would make me do things and never let me give up. I wore callipers and they would make me walk everywhere and just leave me to live as normal a life as possible. For instance, I slept in a room with my brother Paul and I took the top bunk. There’s a big age gap between my half-brothers and me. Alan is 52, Paul is 50, Tony is 44. [David is 35]. I loved Alan like a brother, but I looked up to him like a dad as well.
I used to cry at night, but I didn’t let my mum and dad hear. I didn’t want to see them upset. I figured they were probably upset enough. I never shared those feelings with my brothers, I just kept them in. I don’t think they quite understood how I was feeling – and when you are young, you don’t explain it properly, do you? I used to cry at night, but I didn’t let my mum and dad hear. I didn’t want to see them upset. I figured they were probably upset enough. I never shared those feelings with my brothers, I just kept them in. I don’t think they quite understood how I was feeling – and when you are young, you don’t explain it properly, do you?
My mum was determined to see off any discrimination, face to face. There was a play centre on our estate where you could drop your kids off for the day. You could start from the age of four. The lady who ran it told Mum, “I don’t think he can come. What if he falls off this or falls off that?” And Mum said, “But what if that kid falls off or hurts himself? What’s the difference?” Then the lady saw me climbing on the monkey bars, and said, “Yeah, he can come.”My mum was determined to see off any discrimination, face to face. There was a play centre on our estate where you could drop your kids off for the day. You could start from the age of four. The lady who ran it told Mum, “I don’t think he can come. What if he falls off this or falls off that?” And Mum said, “But what if that kid falls off or hurts himself? What’s the difference?” Then the lady saw me climbing on the monkey bars, and said, “Yeah, he can come.”
My dad was in the Irish Guards and he told me that he was sent on a one-mile race, but that when he got back his heart rate was monitored and it was so low the sergeant thought he’d been hiding somewhere, so sent him to do it again. But his heart rate was the same when he got back – his recovery rate was just very, very good. I think it must be in the genes and that’s why I was very good at all these different distances. My dad was in the Irish Guards and he told me that he was sent on a one-mile race, but that when he got back his heart rate was monitored and it was so low the sergeant thought he’d been hiding somewhere, so sent him to do it again. But his heart rate was the same when he got back – his recovery rate was just very, very good. I think it must be in the genes and that’s why I was very good at all these different distances.
Having children has changed my viewpoint on life hugely. [His children are Ronie, Mason and Tillia Grace]. I feel I’ve got massive responsibilities now, but in a good way. Having Mason before the 2012 Paralympics was probably a godsend, just because if training was hard or I didn’t feel I was pushing well or I felt down, I’d come home and he was happy and smiling. Having children has changed my viewpoint on life hugely. [His children are Ronie, Mason and Tillia Grace]. I feel I’ve got massive responsibilities now, but in a good way. Having Mason before the 2012 Paralympics was probably a godsend, just because if training was hard or I didn’t feel I was pushing well or I felt down, I’d come home and he was happy and smiling.
I don’t think my elder daughter, Ronie, really notices what I do. She only realised when she went to secondary school and her PE teacher asked, “Are you related to David Weir?” and Ronie said, “Yeah, he’s my dad”, and her teacher said, “Wow, that’s amazing.” After that she kept coming back with these little pieces of paper saying, “Can you sign this for so-and-so?”I don’t think my elder daughter, Ronie, really notices what I do. She only realised when she went to secondary school and her PE teacher asked, “Are you related to David Weir?” and Ronie said, “Yeah, he’s my dad”, and her teacher said, “Wow, that’s amazing.” After that she kept coming back with these little pieces of paper saying, “Can you sign this for so-and-so?”
I was always frightened to have kids, even though I’m told my condition isn’t genetic. During those initial scans where they measure everything, I was petrified, always looking to see if I could see anything abnormal. So every childbirth, I would be absolutely bricking it. The minute they popped out, I would check everything, make sure they were moving, their toes … I was always frightened to have kids, even though I’m told my condition isn’t genetic. During those initial scans where they measure everything, I was petrified, always looking to see if I could see anything abnormal. So every childbirth, I would be absolutely bricking it. The minute they popped out, I would check everything, make sure they were moving, their toes …
• David is competing in the London Marathon on 26 April David is competing in the Boston Marathon on 20 April and the London Marathon on 26 April. David’s charity, the Weir Archer Academy, enables disabled people to participate in sport. To find out more, visit weir-archer-academy.com