College of the Rockies People: Their Courage, Curiosity, and Contributions

For College of the Rockies student Mack Adams, losing his legs at birth due to congenital birth defects left him with unique challenges. Born and raised in Sparwood, Adams suffered from depression and anxiety while growing up.

“I reached out for help with my mental health through hospitals and counsellors, and I really connected to what they do and the help they provide to people on a day-to-day basis,” Adams said. “I want to be able to give back and to make a positive impact in the world.”

With that in mind, Adams enrolled in the Human Service Worker program at the college in September 2018. In addition to working in the field, he wants to become a motivational speaker.

“I want to be able to help people and to get the message out that it’s okay to be different and it’s okay to have challenges in your life. It’s not going to stop you, it’s going to build you,” he said.

This is a lesson he learned early, from his Grade 7 gym teacher. Though he hated gym class, she pushed him and wouldn’t let him give up on himself. It was through her encouragement that he fell in love with basketball.

“The biggest enjoyment about basketball for me is to be able to show people that I can do it,” Adams added. “In a world where I was told that I wouldn’t be like other kids in school, I would be the one falling behind physically, and I was the one who would not succeed, basketball helped me to solidify the idea that my disability is not going to define me. I can be my own person without changing my physical attributes.”

This is a lesson 18-year-old Adams continues to carry with him. Whenever he’s on breaks from class, you’ll find Adams in the college gym, shooting hoops.

“The gym at the college is like a second home,” he said. “It’s been an escape for me when I feel overwhelmed or stressed with school. I come here and forget my problems. Everyone at the college has been really amazing, especially the gym staff.

“I’m definitely thankful for College of the Rockies and I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

“I’ve definitely fought a lot of challenges,” he continued. “I’ve been picked on, bullied, laughed at, and told I shouldn’t be allowed to play. Now when I hear that I just laugh because I know that if they were in my situation, I don’t think they’d have the strength to deal with it. It takes a special kind of strength to get here.”

Adams’ advice to anyone facing any type of challenge is simple: “Just keep pushing every day, no matter how hard it gets. Whether you face one mountain or a million mountains, there’s always going to be a downslope and there’s always going to be an upslope.

“Whatever you feel is limiting you, you can change.”

Watch a video of Mack’s story.

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