Disability:

Carlos came to America with nothing more than a desire. He became a US citizen and then a Navy SEAL. He was injured in the line of duty on the battlefield in Panama.

Ability:

Typical of his spirit, Carlos turned his wheelchair into an expression of his athleticism.

His wheels became a statement by 1991, when he and friend Russ Walton, an amputee, pushed 1,200 miles from Miami to Virginia Beach. After that came Alaska, with 367 miles racing on the toughest hills he'd ever seen. He recently completed the Race Across America as part of a 4-man hand-cycling team. The first hand-cycling team to do so under the 9-day cut off time, at 8 days 9 hours.