After overcoming the odds, Brooke Hopkins now sets out to make track history

CHILLICOTHE — If one had only read the feel-good story that the Chillicothe Gazette did on Brooke Hopkins a few years ago, they would think that her story would peak with her regaining her ability to walk.

However, in four years, she has been able to ditch her walker, become a fine student at Huntington High School, and is a member of the school's cross country and track teams.

All three of those accomplishments were things that doctors had told Hopkins' family that she would not be able to do.

“After suffering from both CIDP and her accident, both times the doctor said that he did not believe that she would never be able to attend public school,” her father, Mark Hopkins said. “He did not believe that she would be able to communicate or comprehend things well ever again. But here she is, showing the world that she is a fighter.”

Hopkins' fight began in 2016 when she was diagnosed with CIDP, which is a rare disorder that causes the body's immune system to attack the myelin sheath, which is a critical part of the nervous system that helps the electrical impulses that allow movement of limbs to take place smoothly.

After several months of treatment, things were beginning to look up for Brooke, however, in August of 2017, she was involved in a four-wheeling accident which led to her suffering a massive stroke.

While those events are tragic, Brooke and her family have refused to let them define her and so, they are only a blip in her ever-evolving story.

Prior to her tribulations, Hopkins was a basketball and softball player, who relished the chance to feed her competitive spirit.

In 2020, she was able to get back into sports as she joined Huntington's cross country team, a group she had become very familiar with due to some family ties.

"Throughout her recovery, we had always told Brooke that she was going to be able to do cross country," Huntington's cross country coach, Jeff Magill said. "When Brooke entered high school, she decided that she was going to give it a try. This was also her sister Cindy's senior year, so the entire team rallied behind Brooke to support her. I had worked out a plan for Brooke to walk the cross-country course as she would keep track of her time. During her freshman season, she completed seven meets with her season personal record of 1:02:00. During her sophomore season, she also completed seven meets with a personal record of 1:00:49."

With her love for competition re-ignited, Brooke added to her athletic resume by joining the school's track team as a sophomore, where she competes in the seated shot put.

Just as they were with her decision to do cross country, her family was elated to see Brooke continuing to push herself.

“It was great to know that there was an opportunity out there where she could perform,” her mother, Susan Hopkins said. “She cannot do the running events and she cannot throw the shot put with the others because of her balance and some issues with coordination. So, this gave her the opportunity to have an event that she can be competitive in.”

Even though she is the only member of the team who competes in this event, Hopkins said that her teammates are always there to motivate her.

“It has been great being on the team,” Hopkins. “My shot put friends have helped me a lot. They always cheer for me at practices and give me pointers. We even make bets on my throws. If I can throw nine feet, they get me ice cream.”

In addition to the external motivation that she receives from her teammates and fellow loved ones, Hopkins has goals of her own that she hopes to reach.

Ranging from setting her sights on typical teenage aspirations such as learning to drive or getting to engage in activities that others take for granted like running, Brooke has made it a habit to not limit herself.

“My main goal is to run again,” Hopkins said. “Before I could not walk, I hated to run. But now that I can't do it and there are a lot of sports that I can't play because of it, it is something that I really want to do. Just seeing my friends able to run around and jog, it makes me upset that I can't.”

With all that Brooke has been able to accomplish, those who know her have no doubt that she can achieve anything that she sets her mind to.

Her "can-do" spirit has become so well-known that her father says that people within the community often make remarks about it.

“Her positive attitude is infectious,” Mark Hopkins said. “We have had a lot of people in the community come and tell us that seeing how much she has gone through and how well she has improved has helped them. From teachers to just random people in the community, they really commend her for never giving up.”

So what is next for Brooke Hopkins as she continues her track and cross country journey?

Let her tell it, she is on the fast track to being Huntington's first seated athlete to make it to state.

In 2013, OHSAA added several events for seated athletes, including the shot put, to the State Championships for track and field. This allows those athletes to be recognized for their hard work and earn individual state honors.

“It is a goal of mine to make it to state,” Hopkins said. “I have met the minimum requirements to be considered, so I feel like I can make it.”

With all that she has accomplished thus far, who are we to say that she cannot do it?