Marlon Shirley
Olympic Track & Field Medalist

After being abandoned by his mother at the age of three, Marlon Shirley survived by living with other kids on the streets of Las Vegas, before finally finding his way into the foster care system.  While living at the orphanage, he fell under a lawnmower and lost his left foot when he was five years old. At the age of nine he was adopted by a Utah family, and while in high school, another tragedy had occurred in his life, when he lost the lower section of the same leg due to a high school football injury.  Not willing to give up, Shirley became one of the greatest athletes in the Paralympics world, and he is currently the fastest Paralympics athlete in the world.  In addition to breaking numerous records, Marlon also won “The Role Model of 21st Century” award, and he uses his past experiences to motivate children and adults alike.

Information from The Orphan Society