Alex Montoya gives thanks for all his blessings, including challenges

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<figure id="attachment_29239" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29239" style="width: 133px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/featured/alex-montoya-gives-thanks-for-all…; rel="attachment wp-att-29239"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-29239" src="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/11AMRnRWithFlag…; alt="Alex Montoya competes in a fun run." width="133" height="300" srcset="https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/11AMRnR… 133w, https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/11AMRnR… 454w, https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/11AMRnR… 763w" sizes="(max-width: 133px) 100vw, 133px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-29239" class="wp-caption-text">Alex Montoya competes in a fun run.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Although some people might see it as something negative, Alex Montoya considers his disability a blessing.</p>
<p>Montoya was born without arms and without a leg. Even so, he’s very grateful for all that life has given him.</p>
<p>“I’m glad I was born disabled,” said Montoya, who is 40 years old. “It gave me a completely unique perspective and also a tenacity and fearlessness I might not otherwise have. I am very blessed.”</p>
<p>As part of the celebration of Disability Awareness Month in October, KPBS and Union Bank selected Montoya as one of two people with disabilities as local heroes.</p>
<p>Montoya, who works as Latino Affairs manager for the San Diego Padres, said that it is difficult for people to understand the challenges disabled people face daily.</p>
<p>“I think it’s hard to truly understand a challenge unless you’ve lived it,” he said. “I think some people think people with disabilities need help with everything. That’s not true. Others might think we can do everything at the same pace as everyone else. That’s also probably not true. The key in both cases is to observe and be unafraid to ask questions.”</p>
<p>For Tom Karlo, KPBS general manager, people like Montoya help others find motivation to reach their goals.</p>
<p>“Their stories are inspiring and illustrate how they are making a positive difference in our neighborhoods and the world,” Karlo said.</p>
<p>Montoya said that celebrations like this one, where they try to create awareness about disabilities, help the public to be more sensitive.</p>
<p>Disability Awareness Month sheds light on our issues, our challenges, our leaders, our success stories,” he said. “Any time you raise awareness, you increase knowledge, and knowledge is power.”</p>
<p>Montoya’s life story, which is told in his first book, “Swinging for the Fences”, is one of tenacity, survival, faith. He was born in Colombia and when he was four, his parents made the sacrifice of sending him to live with his aunt and uncle in California so that he could have the opportunities that, due to his disability, he would never have in his native country.</p>
<p>“I’m thankful for each day I breathe,” he said. “I’m thankful I was born without arms and one leg because that has strengthen my faith, patience, and perspective.”</p>
<p>In the United States, Montoya has really reached the American Dream.</p>
<p>Thanks to his spiritual strength, Montoya achieved what many never achieve in their lives, even if they’re not disabled. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame, he’s Latino Affairs manager for the Padres, and he’s published two books where he shares his experiences.</p>
<p>Montoya manages to write using a computer keyboard and a pen, one key at a time.</p>
<p>He said that Latinos with disabilities face a couple of barriers.</p>
<p>“Language and overprotective families,” he said.</p>
<p>Montoya has some words of encouragement for Latinos with disabilities like him:</p>
<p>“You can do anything,” he said. “Our culture is built on pride and overcoming obstacles; that applies to disabilities, too.”</p>
<p>And to people who “feel sorry” for those with disabilities, Montoya has a very straightforward message:</p>
<p>“Please don’t feel sorry for us,” he said. “You can have empathy but not pity. If you feel sorry for us, I feel sorry for you, because you clearly are not seeing us as real people.”</p>
<p>Lastly, Montoya, who has a weekly blog, said that people with disabilities are important members of the community.</p>
<p>“All we ask for is opportunity and a little bit of assistance, and we can contribute to your team, office, organization, and world,” he said.</p>