'I want to be a fast runner': How a 10-year-old Utahn with a prosthetic leg is living his dream

MILLCREEK — When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, Zach Adler knew exactly what his answer was — to be a fast runner. Unlike other kids his age, however, he wasn't born with the ability to run.

"At our 20-week ultrasound, we were told that there was a problem with Zach's leg," his mom, Carrie Adler, said. "As it turned out, he has something called fibular hemimelia, which means he is missing his fibula in his right leg."

Carrie Adler further explained that Zach was born with only his tibia, which is the weight-bearing bone. Without a fibula, his right leg was unable to form the ankle joint, but was instead left with "three tiny toes" at the end of his leg.

After many discussions with doctors at Shriner's Hospital, it was decided that the best path forward was to amputate little Zach's right leg below his knee.

"At 10 months old, he had a Syme amputation where they pretty much go through the ankle joint and then leave his heel bone," Carrie Adler explained. "He still has his heel bone, and they just tucked it underneath the tibia, so he is able to weight-bear on that leg and do all the things on that leg."

Zach, who is also a twin brother to Alex Adler, was fitted with his first prosthetic leg right after his first birthday. His mom said he learned to walk right alongside his brother, adding that, "It's all he's ever known."

Another constant in Zach's life has been a unique friendship with a local Paralympic athlete who shares the same condition — Hunter Woodhall.

Woodhall is a Paralympic sprinter, winning gold in the men's 400-meter race at the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games. He is a Utah-based athlete who, while competing for Syracuse High School in 2016, won a medal at his first Summer Paralympic Games in the 200- and 400-meter events.

"Just after Hunter was done with his first Olympics and he was still in high school, we went to his house and met with Hunter and his parents," Carrie Adler said. "It was good to talk to somebody who had the same condition, except Hunter was affected in both legs.

"We've always been pretty close with Hunter," she added. "I actually text him every once in a while, and he will give advice on running and how to secure the spikes to the blade. It has been a really cool thing to be able to have someone who really knows what we're going through."

Zach has long been a very active boy, and his mom said that they have made sure not to limit his ability to try new things.

"Currently, he has four different legs," she said. "He has his everyday leg; he has his water leg that he's able to use on slides and water parks; he has his ski leg that stays in his ski boot; and he has a running blade. He even learned how to ride a bike. He skis on a youth club, and I don't think most of the kids on his team knew he had a prosthetic until this year because they never see it under his gear.

"He also plays soccer, but he's always, always said that he wanted to be a fast runner."

Zach's parents started him out small, running in a small group held at school, but as his desire to run faster grew, they decided to sign him up for the Wolfpack Youth Running Club, based in Riverton.

"He loves it," she said. "He absolutely loves it. This is his second year, and he runs the 100 and 200, so he's a sprinter. He got his running blade and is 2 to 3 seconds slower than the kids who have both legs, so he's doing pretty good.

"His brother Alex does middle distance, and they both throw the javelin and are running on the 4x100 relay together," she added. "Joining the Wolfpack has been amazing in terms of building Zach's confidence."

His coach, Rachel Martinez, said that Zach is an "inspiration to all."

"He shows up, works hard, and never complains," Martinez said. "His enthusiasm is contagious and he races right alongside his peers with confidence and determination. Watching him compete, you quickly forget anything other than how much he loves to run."

Zach will be competing at the USATF Utah Track and Field Championships on June 25-27 at Timpanogos High School, followed by Regionals at Idaho State University on July 9-11.

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