ATLANTA — A young woman who has spent her whole life overcoming odds just finished the 2022 AJC Peachtree Road Race first in her division.
Bentley-Grace Hicks was born prematurely at 24 weeks. Her family told 11Alive she only weighed 1 pound 6 ounces at birth. Bentley-Grace suffered a grade three non-resolving brain bleed on her first day, resulting in her diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy Spastic Quadriplegia.
"The doctors said she’d never walk, never talk, never eat without a feeding tube, and never breathe without oxygen," Lee Hicks, her father said in a previous interview with 11Allive.
Her health challenges have never stopped her from slowing down. Bentley-Grace has since shown what is possible. She is breathing on her own, and talking, and eating. While she can’t walk yet, Bentley-Grace runs with the help of those who love her.
She had a chance to compete in the Boston Marathon on a wheelchair racing team last year. Her goal was to break a world record -- she did just that.
And Monday morning during the AJC Peachtree Road Race, results show The 21-year-old finished No. 1 in the female push assist division of the wheelchair race.
Bentley-Grace Hicks at 2022 AJC Peachtree Road Race
For this event, she had a special person pushing her wheelchair: her younger brother. Their dad told 11Alive this was the second race her 17-year-old brother has competed in with her and their second win.
"They won the San Diego half marathon three weeks ago and they won today at 37:28," he said. "So it was a really proud dad moment."