An athlete from Brooklyn declares he will not be defined by his disability and is set on competing in the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Overcoming adversity is the motto of Garrison Redd, who's been paralyzed since he was 17 years old.

Redd became paralyzed and wheelchair-bound after being shot in the back and suffering injuries to his spinal cord.

The power-lifter is training with Team USA in hope of making it to next year's Paralympics in Tokyo.

"I had to, you know, get used to my new circumstances. So, I had to find a sport that I really was interested in and that I would be dedicated to work out on a continuous basis and have a strong routine,” says Redd.

By discovering his love for training, Redd says he started his own non-profit organization, The Garrison Redd Project, as a way to encourage other people with disabilities.

"Even though you're disabled, you are able. You just have a limitation to your ability. So, you might not be able to run upstairs, but you still can get upstairs and I felt that people needed to know more about that,” says Redd.

Redd is the first person from New York to qualify for the world championships, which he must compete in before making it to the Paralympics.

"Once you find that thing within you that you really love and really care about, you just go for it and you go at it all day long and make it a part of your life,” says Redd.

Redd continues to spread motivation to others by speaking at events in the community.