Ezra Fleck only turned 19 earlier this month, but he has already become one of Team USA’s top para-athletes and is on the brink of competing in his second Paralympic Games.
Fletch was born with a congenital limb disorder – he is missing most of his left foot and the fingers on his left hand – but this has not stopped him from competing at a high level, as well as giving back to his community and raising awareness for other para-athletes.
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Para track and field athlete Ezra Fleck speaks to media during the 2024 Team USA Media Summit at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on April 15, 2024 in New York City. (Dustin Satloff/USOPC via Getty Images)
It was almost three years ago that Flech competed in the Tokyo Paralympics and came close to winning medals in the T63 long jump and high jump. Although he narrowly lost in those events, Flech will return to the World Championships to win gold in the T63 high jump in Paris in 2023 and silver in Kobe, Japan in 2024.
As Freak has become a better known figure on the para athletics stage, he has also attracted more attention to his charitable work.
He and his family Angel City Sports Founded in 2013, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit “provides year-round adaptive sports opportunities for children, adults and veterans with physical and visual disabilities,” according to its website. They also provide free equipment to those in need, as well as mentoring and competition opportunities.
“What started as an effort to fill a gap in disability sports programs in Southern California,” he told Fox News Digital in a recent interview, “is incredible looking back, but we’ve become one of the leading disability sports organizations in the country, serving thousands of athletes annually.”
Ezra Fleck, U.S. Paralympian and co-founder of Angel City Sports, speaks onstage during the “Breaking Down Barriers: Redefining Disability Representation in Original Content” session on the Terrace Stage on day five of the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on June 21, 2024 in Cannes, France. (Richard Bode/WireImage)
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“The truth is, sport has played a really big role in my life and I think sport has the power to change the world. We know what it does to you physically, mentally and to your soul. So for a community where society has told you that sport isn’t for you and there are so many barriers to even participating in sports that we take for granted, I think it’s special to be able to bring the community together in that way through adaptive sports.”
Fleck plans to attend the University of Southern California after the Paralympics, but despite his young age, he has become a hero to many people who suffer in similar situations.
“I remember when I was a kid, having players on my team that I could look up to and how important that was and how much it influenced me. So now that I’m in a position to wear the Team USA name on my chest and have the opportunity to be that for the next generation, it’s pretty special.”
“I don’t take it lightly. I know the power of a mentor, a role model and an inspiration. I’m grateful to be in a position to be that for the kids who will one day follow in my footsteps and be the leaders of the next generation.”
American athlete Ezra Fleck competes in the men’s long jump T63 final on the third day of the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships Kobe at Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, on May 19, 2024. (Paul Miller/Getty Images)
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Frech: P&G Athletes for Good Foundation — A joint initiative between P&G, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee. The group recognizes athletes and para-athletes who have given back to their communities while striving to excel in their sport.
Fletch is one of 20 people to receive a $24,000 grant to support their work.
Fletch also appears in the upcoming documentary “Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution,” produced by P&G Studios and Harder Than You Think Productions.
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