I've just updated the photo album devoted to Dustin Carter at AmateurWrestlingFanAddicts Photo Annex http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group...ctsPhotoAnnex/ State wrestling: Hillsboro amputee draws memorable sendoff from crowd
Posted by Tim Warsinskey February 29, 2008 15:08PM
Columbus -- The Value City Arena crowd rose to its feet and cheered Dustin Carter when he was eliminated from the state wrestling tournament today, a touching send-off for the quadruple amputee from Hillsboro.
John Kuntz / PDDustin Carter of Hillsboro listens to coaches during a timeout.
Carter soaked in the moment, scooting around the center of the mat on his butt with arms raised. Fully extended, his arms barely reached above his head.
"I just looked around and said, 'This might be the last time I ever feel something like this,' " Carter said.
Carter and his coach, Nate Horne, held each other in a long embrace as the cheers lingered.
"He said that he loved me, and I told him that I loved him too," Horne said.
Carter lost a consolation-round bout, 5-3, to Cody McGee of Minerva, ending the senior's career one victory shy of the awards stand. Earlier, he lost, 5-1, to Padua freshman Andrew Romanchik in a quarterfinal.
Carter, wrestling at 103 pounds in Division II, finished 40-4. He had 90 career victories.
Carter's limbs were amputated above the knees, below the right elbow and above the left elbow at age 5 after he contracted a rare, life-threatening blood disorder. He is the first quadruple amputee to compete at the state tournament.
"I'll never forget this," he said. "I'll probably brag about it my whole life. I'll probably wake up every morning and remember these last two days, this whole year, all the hard work I put in, the blood, the sweat, the tears to get to this tournament."
Carter credited his hometown, about 50 miles northeast of Cincinnati, for accepting him and supporting his journey.
"If it wasn't for the laid-back community there, I probably never would have wrestled," he said. "I probably would have been a couch potato not determined to get good grades and go to college.
"I'll be back to work in the wrestling program if coach wants an assistant."
McGee scored two takedowns and an escape. Carter had two escapes and received a stalling point.
"He was so strong and he was quick," McGee said. "You have to keep his head down and keep him out of his game plan. His plan is to suck up your arm and tip you."
McGee said beating Carter was extraordinarily emotional.
"I felt like everyone was rooting for the other guy," he said. "I have so much respect for him. He has so much heart to come out here and do what he does. He's a great wrestler. He got here and got this far. I'd kind of like to see him go farther, but I wanted to win.
"I will remember this match for the rest of my life."
Carter's father, Russ, said Dustin is being recruited by St. Joseph College in Cincinnati and Wilmington College in Wilmington, Oh. Dustin plans to study nutrition.
"Wrestling kept my grades up and kept me motivated to do things, and that's more like what it'll be in college, instead of dropping out or something. It keeps my head on right," Dustin said.
Dustin Carter's Title Quest Over (Armless/Legless OH HS Wrestler) 
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