Danny Andrews, who lost his leg to complications after a soccer injury, returns from Athens with broken records and gold medals.
By ALEX LEARY
Published October 7, 2004
HOLIDAY - Danny Andrews returned home in the fall of 2000 with a gold medal and a promise.
"This is something I plan to keep on doing for as long as I can," he said after setting the world record in the 800-meter race at the Paralympics in Sydney, Australia.
"You'll definitely see me at the 2004 games in Athens, Greece."
Now Andrews, who lost his left leg after a soccer injury in 1996, is home again. This time, the 23-year-old set two world records while winning three gold medals in Athens.
Andrews established the world record in the 400 meter run with a time of 51.24 seconds, beating the previous best of 51.89. He and his teammates also set a world record in the 4x400 relay and won gold in the 4x100 relay.
As a boy, Andrews dreamed of playing professional soccer. But at age 14, he broke his left leg playing goalkeeper for the Hudson Footloose soccer club in a state cup game.
Injuries happen all the time and many people recover to play again. So did Andrews, but without his leg. It was amputated below the knee due to complications and replaced with a prosthetic. He went on to earn all-conference honorable mention in his senior year at Gulf High School. Andrews and his family sued Florida Joint Replacement Center and the health professionals who treated him. The case was settled in 1999.
After high school, Andrews became the only amputee competing in Division 1 college athletics while at the University of Miami. His success at the Paralympics in Sydney led to other championships and the games in Athens, held Sept. 17-28. Andrews' parents, Bill and Luann Andrews, traveled to Greece to watch him compete, with most of their expenses paid by GunnAllen Financial in Tampa.
"It was so awesome to be able to watch him compete in Athens," his mother said in a news release. "It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
Neither Danny Andrews nor his parents could be reached for comment Wednesday evening.
