By Clay LePard
clepard@cbs4qc.com
He's known as "The Inspirational Archer."
This past weekend, Matt Stutzman showed off his archery skills for hundreds in the Quad Cities. It doesn't take long to notice it's more than Matt's accuracy that makes the Keota, Iowa, native stand out.
"When I was training myself, if they were holding the bow with their right arm, I would hold it with my right foot," he explains.
Stutzman was born without arms.
However, growing up, he says that didn't change how he was raised compared to his seven siblings.
"One of the cool things about my family is they never told me I couldn't do nothing," Stutzman says. "No matter what it was, they would say figure it out first."
For only the past four years, Stutzman has been figuring out how to seriously use a bow and arrow.
"The way I shoot is so rare," he says.
And usually, right on target.
In 2011, Stutzman broke the Guinness World Record for longest accurate shot with 230 yards. In 2012, he won a silver medal in London at the Paralympics.
"There's mixed feeling about it," Stutzman explains. "As a competitive archer, it's not gold. You're kind of bummed a little bit. From the other side of things, I still won a medal on the biggest stage ever."
Stutzman says it's that drive that keeps him going.
"Stay positive in general and at the end of the day, good things will happen and you may succeed at what you're doing," he says.
Moving forward, Matt says he's already preparing to go for the gold in Rio de Janeiro at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.
