One Strong Arm
By Loren Mendell & Tiller Russell

This is an inspiring and funny portrait of an extraordinary young man. When he was eighteen months old, Cody Wagner was diagnosed with a brain tumor. During surgery, he suffered a series of strokes that paralyzed one side of his brain and body. His doctors told his mother that he would never recover, but they were wrong. He survived and, with the help of dedicated parents and friends, he seemed to thrive. But for Cody, described by his father as a "rough and tumble kid," in an active, rough and tumble family, there was one thing missing — a sport that he could participate in and excel at entirely on his own. Sixteen years later, he discovers arm wrestling. In his first serious competition, he confronts a taller, heavier, more experienced opponent, who's "able-bodied" besides...

19 minutes
© 2004
Purchase $149 VHS / Purchase $149 DVD
Order No. QA-421
ISBN (VHS) 1-57295-421-3
ISBN (DVD) 1-57295-885-5

Reviews
"An affecting testament to the power of love and sport to overcome even the most difficult physical challenges." Mark Jonathan Harris, Academy Award Winning Director, The Long Way Home

"An intimate portrait filled with empathy, hope, and even suspense. Highly Recommended for academic health science library collections as well as high school, public, and hospital collections." Educational Media Reviews Online

Awards & Conference Screenings
Best Documentary Short, DeadCenter Film Festival
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Achievement Award, Superfest
Picture This Film Festival
Sacramento Film & Music Festival
DaVinci Film & Video Festival
Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Montreal

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Raymond's Portrait: Raymond Hu is a unique artist with a sensitivity and fierce passion for life that comes out in his paintings. He also has Down syndrome.

How We Play: For the people we see in this video, disabilities are a challenge, not an obstacle, to the enjoyment of vigorous outdoor sports.

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