(6) inspiring the world with his fitness videos
IF there’s one thing about lockdown, it can most definitely sap you of your motivation. As we’re encouraged not to travel far and with nothing much to look forward to in terms of social events, it can be easy to allow it to get the better of you.
Well if you’re in search of some inspiration, look no further than six-year-old Luke Dobbs from Oylegate. Luke lives in a busy household with parents Pat and Rita, brothers Will (8) and Tom (17) and sisters Shauna (20) and Lily (12). Three of his siblings are in wheelchairs and require quite a bit of care and Luke himself lives with cerebral palsy.
‘Basically, it affects his speech and his feet are turned in,’ his Dad Pat explains. ‘He’d been doing hurling and football and that and at times, he’d get in a bit of a strop because he can’t do it or keep up. I try to explain to him, “you have a disability, the others don’t. You’re doing brilliant”. He recently got a racing bike and he comes out with me and his Mam on that as well. He’s very active and he’s the most pleasant little lad.’
With his Mam and Dad regularly taking zoom classes with their business P&R Fitness, Luke felt he’d like to provide some motivation and instruction for those who’ve been stuck on the couch since lockdown began.
‘There a couple of weeks ago, he went out and ran 3km straight, which was amazing,’ proud Dad Pat said. ‘It gave people a great boost to hear that. You know, if you’re at home and you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, but you have the ability, just look at what Luke is doing here. I put it up and the reaction it got was amazing. Luke got a great boost out of it.’
‘After that he came to me and asked could he do a fitness video. I said of course and posted it up on the Facebook page. I think he’s done 5 now and we’ve had people commenting from Abu Dhabi, New York, California, England and France. It’s been amazing.’
‘The reason I’m telling his story is not for me or for my business or anything like that. It’s purely because of the boost it’s giving him and that he’s giving others. Luke is just a little lad with cerebral palsy who can light up people’s hearts and drag them out of the dumps. He’s a real inspiration.’