Max Abramov is living proof that if you really want to do something, nothing can hold you back.
At just 10 years old, the Russian boy is already a talented skateboarder. It’s a pretty impressive accomplishment considering he only uses his arms and hands.
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Max was just 6 months old when he suffered a tragic accident caused by neglect. The baby’s bed caught fire in 2011, and as a result, doctors had to amputate both of his legs. He was adopted into his new family in St. Petersburg less than a year later.
As Max grew up, he found it much easier to get around on a skateboard. But it wasn’t until he accidentally rolled into a skate park one day that he realized he wanted to become a professional. There he met a coach who encouraged him. After that, his mom suggested he work with someone to hone his skills.
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So, Max’s mom paired him with coach Pavel Mushkin, who always pushes him to try new moves outside his comfort zone. With his help, Max has learned to nail difficult tricks. In fact, his talent has blossomed so much that he recently caught the attention of legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk!
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In September, Hawk shared a video to Instagram of Max practicing at a skate park, calling the boy his “new favorite skater.” The shout-out earned Max thousands of followers on the social platform – all of whom were just as amazed by what he could do on a skateboard.
“After that, overnight, Max became a world celebrity,” Pavel said. “Large numbers of fans, subscribers, and just people wrote him personal messages saying ‘Max! Oh my God! That’s so cool!'”
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Max has been thrilled by all the attention, but more importantly, he hopes to one day compete in the Paralympic Games, should skateboarding ever become part of the competition.
“I would really like to take part in the Olympics. Maybe I won’t win, but at least I can take part. I would know how it feels to skate with … professional skaters,” Max said. With his passion and determination, we’re sure he’ll make it happen. And we don’t doubt for a second that he could win.
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Check out the video that propelled Max into the spotlight below, and share his talent with the world!
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