To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Shaquem Griffin To Start Seattle Seahawks' NFL Opener 19 Years After Having Hand Amputated

Shaquem Griffin To Start Seattle Seahawks' NFL Opener 19 Years After Having Hand Amputated

An inspiring story in every sense...

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

In one of the most inspiring stories you will come across, 23-year old linebacker Shaquem Griffin will start for Seattle Seahawks 19 years after having his left hand amputated.

Born with amniotic band syndrome, a birth defect that stopped his fingers from growing, the pain was so too much for Griffin to take as a youngster that when aged four, his parents found him trying to chop his hand off with a butchers knife.

A day later, they decided to get his hand amputated at the hospital and change his life forever. However, Griffin has not let it stop him from achieving his dreams.

He became the first one-handed athlete drafted to the NFL when Seattle took a punt on him as the 141st pick back in April and his meteoric rise has just continued from then on.

After making a huge impression on coach Pete Carroll in pre-season, he confirmed the rookie will feature in their regular season opener against Denver Broncos and become the first amputee to play in the NFL.

What's even more heart-warming about the whole deal is the fact that his twin brother Shaquill, who has been with him for the journey, is also playing in the history-making fixture.

They share a special bond that stretches onto the pitch and Shaquill cannot hide how proud he is of his sibling.

Image: PA
Image: PA

"I can't even put into words how proud I am of him," Shaquill told the official Seahawks website.

"Everything he's doing, he's doing it the right way. He's not letting everything get to his head, he's using his platform to help others.

"He's putting everybody first before himself, and that's all you can ask for from a professional athlete. You can see he's making a difference not just in the community, but in the world. It's so cool to see, and that it's coming from my twin brother, I'm more than proud."

We wish Shaquem all the best for the game against Denver but for him to just to get to this point is incredible. Keep killing it, lad.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Footballl, NFL News, NFL