Mobility Way By Mike Savicki — Afterburner Communications NMEDA CONSULTANT
A Heart of Gold! Bob Lujano’s Journey from Texas to Alabama, Athens and Beyond
T
here is a scene in the
co-conspirators. The ensuing level of
USQRA National Championships to
Academy-Award nominated
laughter not only adds another layer
his credit and had the 2020 season
documentary, “Murberball,”
of humor to the film’s in-your-face
not been cancelled early due to
when co-star, Bob Lujano, and his
reality, it also proves that when it
coronavirus/COVID, he very likely
teammates, play a prank on an
comes to disability and assistance—
may have had eight. He was a long-
unsuspecting team support staffer.
the keyword being assistance—quad
standing member of Team USA
In short, it involves Lujano hiding
rugby players, even ones with no
earning international medals plus a
himself away in an empty cardboard
arms and legs, laugh in the face of
Paralympic Bronze (Athens, 2004).
box, his teammates pretending it is
accepting it.
On the court he was as fierce a
Meet Bob Lujano. He is 51 now and
defender as they come. Ask any of the
too heavy for them to lift. Then, when the staffer offers assistance and tries to lift the box onto a hotel room bed, Lujano pops out and scares her to the raucous delight of the roomful of
recently retired from murderball, the sport more tamely known as wheelchair (or quad) rugby, after playing for 25 years. He has seven
top offensive threats from any country in the world what they thought about the competitive Bob Lujano and you’ll get looks of frustration and disbelief along with NSFW curses in languages you likely won’t understand but surely will recognize. Nobody in the wheelchair rugby world wanted Bob in their face. Off the court, Bob’s story is worth sharing, too. Let’s start on January 6, 1979, age nine, when Bob contracted meningococcemia, a rare form of meningitis. To save his life, all four limbs had to be amputated. If you think losing limbs earned Bob a pity party, think again. Bob’s family and
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