Legless Wrestler Inspires At Suffolk County Correctional Facility

RIVERHEAD, NY — A young man who has faced life's greatest adversity, having his legs amputated when he was just four years old, triumphed when he became a college wrestler — and a living testament to the power of grit and determination.

On Thursday, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon welcomed athlete and motivational speaker Rohan Murphy to share his story at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverhead.

Rohan, a Division I wrestler from East Islip, who lost his legs at birth, faced challenges as a child.

"Being born with deformed legs was a crushing blow to Rohan and his family. At the age of four, his rare birth defect forced doctors to amputate both of his legs. Doctors told the Murphy family that Rohan would never be able to take care of himself and would require 24 hour care each day of his life. It’s now safe to say that he proved them wrong," his website said.

The road wasn't always easy.

"It was tough. . .tough for me to get over," Rohan has told News 12. "I felt like I was an outsider, I felt like I was an outcast because there were so many things I couldn't do and one of those thing was sports."

But an East Islip coach introduced wrestling to Rohan, where he "found himself in what he lost," according to the News 12 video. "It just gave me a new perspective on life. If I can beat the odds in life, why can't all of you?" he said.

Rohan, after a successful high school wrestling career, went on to wrestle at Penn State University and even starred in a Nike commercial.

Today, Rohan speaks to young people about overcoming adversity and inspiring "even the most cynical person to believe that anything is possible," his website said..

In addition to wrestling, Rohan is also an accomplished powerlifter, representing the USA in international competitions all over the world. Rohan spoke with young adults in the Riverhead Jail about "intrinsic motivation and overcoming adversity," Toulon said.