Community Helps Aurora Survivor Find Hope, Healing & Motivation
By Joel Hillan
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - Joshua Nowlan has always loved competing.
"I pretty much dabbled in everything I could get my hands on," he said. "I was a triathlete beforehand. 5Ks, 10Ks, 14ers, Spartan Races, Tough Mudders."
When Joshua was hit by bullets in the Aurora theater shooting, he had to learn to live with chronic pain.
"I tried to keep running and playing, but it was a lot harder."
Finally in January, on the advice of doctors, Joshua made the decision to surgically amputate a portion of his left leg.
It has been one of many steps Joshua is taking to reclaim his life.
"I'm not going to let everything that I enjoyed in my life before it happened to take it away from me."
AURORA THEATER SHOOTING: Story Archive | Timeline | Remembering The Victims
Now fitted with a prosthetic leg, Joshua has a new goal: to compete in a 4-day running event in Washington.
"The first day is a 5K, the second day is a 10K, third day is a half-marathon and the fourth day is a full marathon, all back-to-back so that's my goal."
He still has a few years to train and is finding new hope, healing and motivation surrounded by the people he loves and who love him.
"Don't try everything on your own. You really have to that support team to really kind of push you and give you that motivation and without that support system that I had in my life, I wouldn't be where I am at in my life."
This weekend Nowlan was participating in a special camp to help para athletes learn what it takes to compete in paratriathlons. For more information on the camp, visit teammpi.com/journey-paratriathlon-camp.
Joel Hillan anchors CBS4 This Morning on weekends as well as reports stories for CBS4 News at 5 and 6 p.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelhillan.
