Finding his strength

NEEDHAM -- Anderson Wise is paralyzed below the waist because of spina bifida, but that does not mean that his parents, Sally and Dale, expected less of him.

"I took out the trash or washed the dishes. I was always treated the same as my siblings and that gave me the motivation to be independent and the strength to be where I am today," said Wise, 24, a world-class powerlifter whose goal is to make the US team that will compete at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Wise was adopted at 18 months after Sally and Dale saw him featured on WBZ-TV's "Wednesday's Child." His father lovingly remembers the day at the hospital when he held the infant, who put his head on Dale's shoulder and fell asleep. "I think at that moment," said Dale, "Andy chose us."

The Wises had three children before Anderson's arrival (one is deceased) and have been foster parents to 40 more.

"We've been blessed by having Andy in our lives," said Sally, who was a Needham High School cheerleader and graduated in 1961, a year before her husband. "Out of the darkest moments in life come the brightest."

Wise, a December graduate of Massachusetts Bay Community College and now a junior at Bridgewater State College, has "a very good shot" at gaining a spot on the US Paralympic powerlifting squad, according to head coach Mary Hodge.

"Andy's not only technically accurate," said Hodge, "he's also a very good athlete who channels his ability into lifting stronger and better."

Wise was named to the US Disabled Powerlifting Team last year and finished a strong sixth among 36 competitors in his weight class (148 pounds) at the 2006 International Powerlifting Committee World Championships in Pusan, South Korea.

He also added a first-place finish at the 2006 National Powerlifting Championships at the University of Central Oklahoma, where his final lift was a personal best 374 pounds. His next challenge will be as a member of the US team at the ParaPan-Am Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.

"I feel very fortunate to be as independent as I am," said Wise, a soft-spoken but confident young man, as he sat on the breezy front porch of the family home a block away from Needham High School.

Wise uses a 12-pound wheelchair and is able to drive his car by using hand controls. He works out three days a week, for at least two hours per session, at Gold's Gym in Needham, whose owner, Alan Waltzman, has been a big supporter.

Wise has a special bond with his father, who is a former Needham High varsity football and hockey player and a veteran member of the Dover Police Department.

Dale Wise, a left leg amputee, is president of the New England Wheelchair Athletic Association. Both he and his son are members of the Needham Commission on Disabilities.

"That has been a very gratifying experience, being able to help others in your town," said the younger Wise, who was honored at Massachusetts Bay Community College in October on "Anderson Wise Day."

The ceremony, attended by "Wednesday's Child" founder Jack Williams, recognized Wise's service to the college, including his current job as a fitness assistant at Mass Bay's Recreation and Wellness Center, and his influence in making the college community more aware of the needs of physically challenged individuals.

"Andy has that warmth and ability to connect with people," said Mass Bay's athletic director, Bill Raynor. "In fact, I've heard people come to the rec center and express disappointment because it's Andy's day off."

Wise, who hopes to become a certified personal trainer and someday work as a strength and conditioning coach at the college level, helped Mass Bay devise an evacuation plan more accessible for the physically challenged. His presence has also been a catalyst for the installation of automatic doors and the widening of pathways on campus.

A multi sport athlete who was the Massachusetts Hospital School's Male Athlete of the Year in 1999, Wise has focused solely on powerlifting since 2003 with Rhode Island native Jim Kempf as his personal coach. Kempf, who knew Dale Wise from their days as board members for the New England Wheelchair Games, was asked by the latter to watch Andy in the gym.

"I was very impressed with Andy at first sight," recalled Kempf, a member of six US international powerlifting teams. "He can go as far as he wants to go as long as he has the mind-set. He gets into an incredible zone when he's on the bench. But it's not an easy road and injuries can take a toll. I know Andy had an off-day (last April at the AAU Games) in Oklahoma when he didn't complete any of his three lifts, but he learned from that."

Wise never worked harder in the gym than after the AAU Games disappointment. He returned to Oklahoma for the Endeavor Games earlier this month, took first place in his weight class and felt refreshed, his confidence renewed.

"I needed that break to adjust, get my agility back, and my mind in the right place," said Wise, "and now my focus is on the ParaPan-Am Games. My father once told me that I could do anything, but I'd have to do it in a different way. I've learned to be creative."

Or as Kempf put it: "Andy has the will to be a champion."