Coaches react to Brownsville Paralympic gold medalist

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A U.S. Army veteran and Brownsville native made his debut at his first paralympic games on Sunday and is now a gold medalist. Jason Tabanksy claimed gold in the men’s para archery competition yesterday.

Tabansky has made many lifelong friends throughout his military and athletic career.
However, he has also managed to stay friends with two of his former football coaches back home that describe him as a die-hard worker.

Tanbanksy may have won his first Paralympic gold, but he's been making the Rio Grande Valley proud almost his entire life. He was also a defensive lineman at James Pace Early College High School.

Rene Medrano, who was the head coach in the early 2000s, says both have remained in contact throughout the years and see each other when he visits town. Medrano says when Tabansky first found out he made the paralympic team, he texted him about the news.

His old coach tuned in Sunday to watch his lifelong friend compete.

“We happen to walk in yesterday and it was right there, right at the time," Medrano said. "And my wife even filmed it and was like, right there, and then when he hit the bullseye, I was like, wow, man. Everybody started cheering and everything. It was like, it was really spectacular.”

In 2015, Tabansky suffered a spine injury that left him wheelchair bound.

Daniel Pardo, who also coached Tabansky, says that did not change his attitude in life. In fact, he once invited him to share his story years ago to his football students and now feels Tabansky's story would resonate even more.

“These kids nowadays have to hear these stories," Pardo said. "They have to see that things happen and it is not the end of the world. Life still goes on and other opportunities that you are not used to are going to present themselves and you have to keep going and reach your goals, maybe not in the venue that you once thought you were going to go through but in a different way.”

Both coaches are proud to be a part of Tanbansky's journey.

“I'm very proud of what you've done, son, I'd give him a big old hug, and tell him, you know what, Jason, I mean, it's tremendous what you've been able to accomplish," Medrano said. "And, I think we all love him to death. We do, and we're very, very proud of him.”

Tabanksy is not yet done in Paris. He competed today in a mixed team competition in archery and has another match set up before the games wrap up on Sept. 8.