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A Teasley Middle student is defying the odds to succeed in the Canton school's military cadet preparation program.

As a member of the school's Air Raiders, 14-year-old eighth-grader Cody Wetherington has shined among his peers, according to instructors.

Cody, the son of Jeff and Brenda Wetherington of Waleska, suffers from cerebral palsy and uses a walker to get around. He also has limited use of his hands.

When he first discovered the school's Air Raiders program, Cody did not shy away from the program because of his limited mobility.

He instead decided to join the program in January.

"Well, it looked pretty fun and different at first," he said. "The people were here to motivate me."

And that's just what the program's commander decided to do.

When Cody approached Dr. Santiago Santana about joining the program, he decided to test the student's agility.

Santana said he put Cody through numerous field drills and was impressed with his dedication.

"I thought to myself, 'He could probably do this,'" said Santana, who lives in Canton. "He's always wanted to join, and I felt like he could do it."

Cerebral palsy refers to "any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and permanently affect body movement and muscle coordination but don't worsen over time," according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

The majority of children with cerebral palsy are born with it, but it may not be detected until months or years later, according to the institute.

Cody, who's had his condition since birth, said he can "basically do anything the other students can do."

At first, Cody said he had trouble running through the tires and running a mile during the cadet drills.

"But I got used to it," he said.

Santana, who commands about 70 Air Raiders at the school, said Cody's motivation inspires his fellow cadets.

"I see a lot of cadets look at him and think 'If he can do it, I can do it,'" he said. "Everyone follows him because he's an example."

Cody, who also is a fan of the University of Tennessee Volunteers football team and the New York Yankees, said being in the Air Raiders has solidified his interest in the military.

"If I can't join the Navy, I will then be an attorney or go into landscaping," he said.

Some of Cody's closet friends consider dedication and motivation to be his strongest traits.

"He's the best kid in the program," cadet and eighth-grader Zac Weisel, 14, son of Dan and Lori Weisel of Canton said. "No matter what the commander tells him, he does it."

Zac, who's been friends with Cody since he started the program, said he doesn't think Cody sees himself as "disabled," adding he has the "most motivation out of everyone."

Fellow cadet and eighth-grader Jonathan Gillie also thinks highly of Cody.

"He's dedicated and motivated about everything," said Jonathan, 14, son of Greg and Kathy Sarrell of Canton. "With other kids who are disabled and other who are in the program, Cody is showing them that they can do it."

Cody said he hopes other students see his determination to overcome his disability as motivation to "never give up."

"They should just keep trying and trying," he said.

kdixon@cherokeetribune.com

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