Rosemount senior Nate Beyer wrestles for the Irish despite being diagnosed with Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON).
ROSEMOUNT, Minn. — Rosemount senior Nate Beyer started wrestling eight years ago.
What’s the best part of wrestling? "The support of a team while competing alone is just, I just love it,” said Beyer.
In some ways, you could say the sport chose him.
“I don’t know if you would say cool, or if it’s an act of fate, that it’s the sport that he chose that he can actually continue on with that he’s been in,” said Beyer's mother, Crystal.
Fate.
“He might be the only one in the state of Minnesota, or in the Midwest for all we know,” said Rosemount Wrestling Coach Tyler Cookas.
And family.
“We’re always here," said Crystal.
But don’t call it luck for the Irish senior, Beyer's journey to the mat is built on hard work and toughness.
“Nate’s story is special because it’s a story of perseverance and overcoming,” said Cookas.
“He fights, and he works through everything, and he does not quit at all,” said Rosemount wrestler Brayden Fechener
Vision gives pain purpose.
“How’d you get through it? The main thing I did was just not letting it stop me from doing the things I enjoyed. Being able to continue with wrestling really helped,” said Beyer.
But what happens when the pain…
“So we took him in and the guys like you need to go to the emergency room right now, and we’re like what? We’re just coming here for glasses, and he’s like no there’s something messed up with his optic nerves, you need to go to the emergency room right now,” said Matt Beyer, his father.
…takes away the vision?
“Nate, how much can you see? I can see an annoying level of stuff. I’d say colors with enough high contrast, or general blurry shapes,” said Beyer.
Beyer is legally blind. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, also known as (LHON). A rare genetic disease that causes vision loss.
“She’s like, no, this isn’t reversible, this is permanent, and we’re like jaw drops, the air just went out of the room, it was a gut punch,” said Matt.
“What was that moment like? When they told you it was irreversible and that you were losing your vision? I would say very overwhelming, I shut down a little bit,” said Beyer.
Beyer picked himself off the mat, through the very sport that chose him.
“It’s heavy blurring in my central vision, which works well with wrestling because I’m still able to discern general shapes to tell most of what a person’s body is doing,” said Beyer.
Wrestling rules allow for visually impaired athletes to compete with each competitor touching the other. In a sport where you’re always trying to see one step ahead, Beyer has to feel to gain the upper hand.
“I see a person that doesn’t give up. I see a person that doesn’t let anything get in his way and keeps fighting for what he wants in life, and that is to be successful and happy,” said Fechener.
“I don’t know if there’s words to describe how proud we are of him, it’s pretty spectacular,” said Crystal.
Will Hall: How would you define the word perseverance?
I would define perseverance as not letting a hard time stop you from doing the things you had originally intended to do. Continuing through a difficult time or situation,” said Beyer.