Garrett “G-money” Holeve is an enthusiastic MMA fighter, an avid CrossFitter and a hardworking employee at Home Depot.
At CrossFit Showdown in Davie, Florida, Holeve attends classes that are dedicated to adaptive athletes with Down syndrome.
“When Garrett was born, they came to my wife and said, ‘Your son has Down syndrome,’” says Mitch Holeve, Garrett’s father. “I can honestly say that from the moment he was born, I just said he was going to have a high quality of life … he was going to have a happy life.”
Despite the discrimination Mitch says his son faces in the MMA world, Garrett remains passionate about the sport, and he uses CrossFit to keep him in top condition for fighting.
“He performs better in the cage and on the mat because of CrossFit—because he’s so physically fit,” Mitch says.
Joey Morgenstern, owner of CrossFit Showdown, admires Garrett’s strength.
“He’ll push harder than anybody else,” Morgenstern says. “He’ll push past his limits … . It really goes to show that no matter what condition you’re in, there’s always a way to be at the top, there’s always a way to progress.”
Video by Mariah Moore.
8min 45sec
Additional reading: “Lifeline to Independence” by Anna Woods with Emily Beers, published Oct. 16, 2013.
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