Noah Lyles is on top of the world after snagging his first Olympic gold medal, but his journey wasn’t always a smooth sprint to victory. Growing up, he faced a series of health hurdles that almost had him waving the white flag on sports. As Lyles himself puts it, “I have asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and depression. But I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. Why Not You!”

From the tender age of three, Lyles was battling frequent asthma attacks that had him in and out of the hospital almost daily until he was seven. Staying true to his goal of becoming a track and field champion, Lyles battled all the odds until he truly became a modern-day icon. And while Lyles rose to the pinnacle of success, his mother, Keisha Caine, had a special wish that was fulfilled a few days ago!

Battling against asthma Noah Lyles grabbed gold, becoming champion against all odds

Initially concerned about her son’s well-being, Keisha Caine was not fully onboard with the idea of Noah Lyles pursuing track despite his asthma. However, looking at his son’s dedication, Caine gradually became Lyles’ biggest cheerleader. After winning the 100m gold in Paris, Keisha Caine was found elated to the core. Speaking with Hearst Television, Caine revealed her secret wish about Lyles. She stated, “I just want our experience to encourage somebody else. That kid might have asthma or adhd or dyslexia. Or a single mom. Like we want you to know that when you start is when you finish.”

And surely enough, her wish indeed has come true. In a recent X update from a special education teacher, Lyles indeed was spotted inspiring many more young kids. Erica Clason posted a picture of her special education classroom where a life-sized poster of Noah Lyles could be spotted. Beneath the picture were Lyles’ words about how, despite having so many physical conditions, he went on with his dreams and ultimately achieved the prized gold medal in the Olympics. Clason captioned the post, “Using an Olympian @LylesNoah to inspire my special education classroom!!” While this was surely a proud moment for both Keisha Caine and Noah Lyles, the Paris Olympics showed that Lyles is still fighting his health demons, leaving his mother grappling with fear!

Lyles’ mother, Keisha Caine, witnessed in fear as her son battled illness to earn bronze

After winning gold in the 100-meter sprint at the Paris Olympics, Americans hoped for Lyles to clinch the top spot in the 200m, as he is the third-fastest man ever in the event. However, right from his walk-in, Lyles looked off. He did not perform his usual interaction with the crowd and when the race started, it became all the more evident. Lyles was struggling to keep up with his opponents and ended up winning the bronze medal in the discipline. It was right after he completed his race that Keisha Caine got the scare of her life sitting in the stands. 

As soon as Noah Lyles finished the race, he looked to be panting and gasping for breath. Unable to breathe properly, Lyles collapsed to the floor, elevating his mother’s tension further. When the medical team was late to attend to her son, panicked Keisha Caine reminisced, “This was one of the scariest moments of my life! Watching my son hold his chest gasping for air while the stadium security refused to call a doctor as I begged them to send him help. They also refused to do anything to help. They totally ignored me! No parent should ever have to experience this feeling of helplessness!” 

However, medical help soon came in and the 100-meter champion had to be escorted out of the arena. Later, it was revealed that Noah Lyles was diagnosed with COVID-19 and thus faced breathing issues while running. The reports came in well before the race, but it was the sprinter’s call to continue with the 200-meter event. Thus, with great zeal and determination, Noah Lyles stands as a shining example of how one can attain greatness by focusing hard despite the hurdles that come the way. What are your thoughts on how Noah has inspired Erica Clason’s special education classroom? Share in the comments below!