TV presenter Alex Brooker pays tribute to Paralympic medal winner in heartfelt speech
Inspiring stuff from The Last Leg's Alex Brooker
Channel 4 presenter Alex Brooker has got the entire internet welling up today with his inspiring tribute to his sporting hero, Alex Zanardi.
And what a hero: 15 years after losing most of his lower body in a motor sports crash, former racing driver and now paracyclist Alex Zanardi won his fourth Paralympic medal at the Rio games on Wednesday.
In the impromptu speech delivered on The Last Leg, which was received with rapturous applause, Brooker talks about how Zanardi has inspired him with his attitude and has helped him to accept his own disability.
The emotional tribute is proof, if ever it were needed, of what a truly inspirational event the Paralympics really is, and how the determination of the athletes involved can drive people - disabled or not - to persevere and keep on going no matter what.