Oftentimes people complain about the pain and hardship of the modern world. They also tend to blame luck for them not achieving their maximum potential. On the contrary, there are ones who make their own luck and set an example which otherwise would have looked impossible. Well, that is exactly what Hunter Woodhall has achieved. Born with fibular hemimelia, Woodhall had both his legs amputated at 11 months old. But that didn’t stop him from pursuing greatness and among other things, he even won gold at the 2024 Paralympics! But recently, the Georgia native has been struggling with a few things.

In a recently uploaded video on the Tara and Hunter YouTube channel, Hunter Woodhall could be seen returning to his home. Before freshening up, the 26-year-old proceeded to remove his shoes before entering the living area. But the Paralympic gold medalist had some significant difficulty in doing so. Woodhall was visibly struggling to free himself from his shoes. Hard to believe right?

Struggling with the task, Hunter stated, “What’s the point of lifting all those weights if you can’t take off your shoes dud.” Looking on, Tara Davis-Woodhall joked about the fact that this was kind of a second workout for Hunter. The athlete then proceeded to reflect further on his life choices. Hunter said, “And from lifting all those weights I feel like I’m 75 years old, everything my body hurts that’s fair every day I wake up I think what am I doing with my life why am I making these decisions.” Well, while the exchange was a light-hearted one, there might be a reason for Hunter to be feeling a tad bit weak.

In a recent update on March 4, 2025, Hunter addressed having some complications with his appendix. After having significant pain in his stomach, the Olympian was advised about having his appendix removed.

Thankfully, his surgery went well. “Just made it out of surgery, feeling pretty good. So everything went well, thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. Well, I’m straight. I didn’t need that appendix s—- anyways,” said Hunter. As per his medical assessment, Hunter would need between one to three weeks to fully recover. Meanwhile, with so much going on, the Paralympian gold medalist is eyeing a major, $20,000 change in his life.

Hunter Woodhall makes bold $20,000 move to stop history from getting repeated

Despite securing the Paralympic gold, Hunter Woodhall isn’t leaving anything to chance. After a devastating setback at the 2023 World Championships, the track champion has taken a significant step to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself. Although he overcame the barriers and grabbed the Olympic glory, he is making sure that his quest for the next victory is not encouraging any struggle. 

Woodhall recently invested in a new pair of running blades to secure his edge on the track. And reportedly the worth of the same is around $20,000! In a YouTube vlog titled Making New Legs For Running. How It’s Made, Woodhall revealed the reason behind the upgrade. “I’m here in Greenwood, Arkansas. And I’m getting new running blades today, so that’s pretty exciting,” he announced.

His previous blades had seen better days. The gold medalist went on to explain, “Yeah, so the whole back of the socket was cracking. And just the right amount of force in this whole plate, it just busts off.” He even showed the wrecked state of his old prosthetics in the clip. Determined to avoid another equipment failure, Woodhall turned to his trusted prosthetist at Van Der Watt in Greenwood, Arkansas.

The decision comes after a harsh lesson at the 2023 World Championships, where a malfunctioning blade forced him to withdraw from his signature 400-meter T62 event. Woodhall took full responsibility for the incident, admitting, “I knew I wasn’t going to be able to run, and there’s no fixing my leg.” He acknowledged his lack of preparation, and added, “I just kind of had to sit there and understand that was the reality of the situation, because of me not doing the right things leading up to that meet and preparing.” That setback seems to have fueled his determination to ensure his equipment is flawless going forward.

With sprinting blades designed to handle the explosive push-offs needed for top-level competition, the cost reflects the precision and durability required. For Woodhall, this $20,000 investment isn’t just about performance. Rather, it’s about control. This time, he’s making sure that no detail, (no matter how small), is able to hold him back on the track!