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Living October 12, 2018

Cross country runner becomes Nike's 1st professional athlete with cerebral palsy

WATCH: Nike signs 1st athlete with cerebral palsy

A cross country runner in Oregon broke down in tears when he was surprised with the news that he will become the first professional Nike athlete in history with cerebral palsy.

The moment Justin Gallegos, 20, got the news that he got a contract with Nike was captured in a heartwarming video made by the production crew Elevation 0m.

Gallegos thought they were just there to film the cross country meet, but at the end he was surprised with an official contract by Nike's Insight's Director John Douglass.

Is this real life? Thank you to all my friends and family and teammates who got my back and supported me through everything! This is a freaking dream come true! Proud to officially be apart of SWOOSH family!! pic.twitter.com/7uDwWkHhPW

— Justin S. Gallegos (@zoommagic98) October 8, 2018
PHOTO: Justin Gallegos is seen here in a Nike promotional video as he becomes the company's first professional athlete with Cerebral Palsy.
Elevation 0m for Nike
Justin Gallegos is seen here in a Nike promotional video as he becomes the company's first professional athlete with Cerebral Palsy.

Gallegos, a member of the University of Oregon Class of 2020, posted about the emotional moment on his Instagram on Saturday, which was National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day. Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that affects muscle coordination, making his every step all the more inspiring.

"Today I made Nike history and became the very first athlete with Cerebral Palsy to sign a contract with Nike!" he wrote in the caption. "You don’t realize how realistic and emotional your dreams are until they play out before your very eyes!"

He continued: "Growing up with a disability, the thought of becoming a professional athlete is as I have said before like the thought of climbing Mt. Everest! It is definitely possible, but the odds are most definitely not in your favor!"

Gallegos thanked his friends, family, teammates, God, and more "for helping show the world that there is No Such Thing As a Disability!"

VIDEO: Nike signs 1st athlete with cerebral palsy
VIDEO: Nike signs 1st athlete with cerebral palsy
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Today on world Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day, I reached a milestone in my running journey! Today I made Nike history and became the very first athlete with Cerebral Palsy to sign a contract with Nike! You don’t realize how realistic and emotional your dreams are until they play out before your very eyes! Signing this contract was a huge success for me and I would not have made it without my friends and family and teammates! This was perhaps the most emotional moment in my seven years of running! Growing up with a disability, the thought of becoming a professional athlete is as I have said before like the thought of climbing Mt. Everest! It is definitely possible, but the odds are most definitely not in your favor! Hard work pays off! Hundreds of miles, blood, sweat, and tears has lead me here along with a few permanent scars! But the journey is damn sure not over!!! Looking back, I would guess there is only a few select people who would see me were I am today! I have gone through just about everything in the book to be where I am today! I was once a kid in leg braces who could barely put on foot in front of the other! Now I have signed a contract with Nike Running! Trust the process! And most of all trust in God! God is good! Thank you to all my friends, family, and teammates on running club, and now a brand new atmosphere on teammates with Nike! This moment will live forever! Thank you everyone for helping show the world that there is No Such Thing As A Disability! #ProfessionalAthlete #SWOOSH #Nike72 #NikeTrackandField #NikeXC #ThereIsNoFinishLine #StrongerEveryMile #NoSuchThingAsADisability #NikeRunning #Limitless #Breaking2 Video Credits: @elevation0m

A post shared by Justin "Magic" Gallegos (@zoommagic) on

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A post shared by Justin "Magic" Gallegos (@zoommagic) on