Pedro and Miguel Ferreira Pinto motto is that “in life, there are no limits, simply barriers, and everyone can do whatever he wishes”, even participating in IronMan, the most demanding sports event in the world, when one has cerebral palsy, which is the case of Pedro. Their story, of union between brothers and of overcoming, is narrated by themselves in a RTP documentary, broadcasted on February 8, where it was also shown how they have created the project Iron Brothers, in favour of the Association of Cerebral Palsy of Lisbon (APCL) , that counts presently with the support of many persons and institutions, among which Hospital da Luz. “We grew up, always together, always dressing alike, where one went the other followed, and I never had the sense that my brother was that different. I mean, I realized it, but it was not like I though in my head that ‘he was different’. And we were always close friends, united, always protecting each other”, tells Miguel, with 31 years old. The project Iron Brothers was born about two years ago, when he and Pedro, now with 31 years of age and suffering from cerebral palsy, heard about the triathlon competition IronMan : a 3.8 km-open water swimming event, a 180 km-cycling event and a 42.2 km-running event. Pedro realized that the participation with his brother in the preparation for this competition, was an opportunity to launch a national movement : to raise awareness for the lack of conditions of people with cerebral palsy and to support APCL, raising funds to buy equipment, such as buses, wheelchairs and hygiene cranes for associated families in need. “My brother had a project that was to help his school, the APCL, which was his second home. His eyes shined, when he realized that he could be the one asking for that help, and not the parents. It was the perfect opportunity”, recalls Miguel, that already was practising Crossfit, ending by accepting the challenge. To participate in the events, Miguel has to carry Pedro along: he tows him in a canoe in the swimming event, on an adapted bike in the cycling event and on a special wheelchair in the running event. In the project Iron Brothers, companies and private persons were called to contribute with symbolic amounts, so that Pedro e Miguel could have the necessary equipment and to raise funds for APCL. For each kilometre covered in the preparation for IronMan 2019, for instance, each person would donate 1 Euro. In 2019, the medical sports consultations and exams before IronMan 70.3 Cascais (where the distances of the events were half those of IronMan) were done at Hospital da Luz Lisboa , that also helped in the acquisition of a car adapted for Miguel to transport Pedro. “With good conditions, everyone like Pedro can communicate simple things such as ‘I have to go to the toilet’, ‘I need to eat’, I need physiotherapy’. All we need is to create the conditions for it. We want to raise awareness that everyone like Pedro can have what he has, because his family has the means for it”, explains Miguel. The movement grew and drags today a significant number of people , including families of individuals with cerebral palsy, that follow in their footsteps, also participating in events. “We became much better people because my brother exists in our lives. If he didn’t exist, we wouldn’t realize so fully how is it to love someone so selfless. He had all to say ‘I am not happy, I have a disability and I cannot do exactly what others do’. But he shows that to be happy is to do simple things, such as gathering the family every weekend and having a different program every weekend. It is a blessing in our lives. I think people don’t really understand this, without living it”, says Pedro. Iron Brothers - "Irmandade de Ferro"
