Four years ago, Donovan Gabbard navigated around Seymour High School in a wheelchair.

His freshman year, Gabbard underwent three surgeries, all aimed to help him walk.

If you met the swimmer today, you would never know his journey.

At a young age, Gabbard was diagnosed with Beals syndrome, a rare congenital connective tissue disorder.

Those with Beals syndrome typically have long, thin fingers and toes and contractures, which prevent straightening and limiting movement. It also affects the hips, elbows, knees and ankles.

“My joints are very weak. I didn’t have a lot of muscle to begin with because I didn’t use my muscles as much as I should have,” Gabbard said. “To this point, my knees will dislocate every once in a while because the joints aren’t very strong.

“I had a couple of surgeries that I had done through the beginning of my high school career,” he said. “All of them led to me not being able to walk easily. I had to train back up after each surgery.”

Since he was a toddler, Gabbard has defied all odds with resilience and a can-do attitude.

His mother, Jennifer Crussel, said doctors guessed Donovan wouldn’t walk until he was 4.

At 14 months, Gabbard bounced around the home.

Looking for a low-impact form of physical therapy at the high school his sophomore year, Gabbard approached physical education teacher Dave Boggs, who also coaches the Owls’ swimming program.

While Crussel was wary at first, she had a feeling that Boggs and the swimming staff would do great things for Gabbard.

“(Gabbard) talked to me during his freshman year when I had him in physical education class,” Boggs said. “He was one that always worked hard and never made excuses for anything. He talked to me about swimming his sophomore year, and I said, ‘Sure, let’s give it a try.’ He told me then that he might need to miss some for some surgeries. I told him that we would absolutely make it work.”

In his sophomore year, Gabbard joined the Owls’ team and progressed leaps and bounds physically while spending time in the pool.

“At first, it was just going to be a part of therapy,” Gabbard said. “I ended up getting higher times and could walk straighter. I wanted to find a sport so I could get some kind of training and could get myself stronger. I happened to know a couple of swimmers, Isaiah Sexton and Skyler Cash, and they told me about it. I thought, ‘Why not?’ and they introduced me to the team.”

Gabbard swam freestyle, butterfly and backstroke events and typically competed in four races during dual meets.

This week, he’s an alternate for the sectional in Floyds Knobs.

With all of the muscle and tone from swimming, Gabbard hasn’t needed any surgeries since his freshman year.

On a routine visit, his doctors couldn’t believe the progress he had made.

“The (doctors) were overjoyed. They were telling me how great it was how I was going through everything and how I had a sport,” Gabbard said. “They told me that it was great that I was getting movement and therapy. They told me it was some of the greatest changes they’d ever seen in my entire life. They never thought they’d see it in a million years.”

Growing up, Gabbard had to wear braces on his body to assist with walking.

With all of the muscle he has gained, he now doesn’t need to wear those braces.

Swimming has provided much more for Gabbard and his family over the past four years at Seymour High School.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve talked to Dave and cried, just thanking him for the opportunity,” Crussel said. “(Donovan) has always been a very happy child who is good to people, but he always kind of stayed to himself. He joined this swim team, and it was (a change) overnight. He was confident and felt like he could accomplish anything that he wanted to do.”

Upon graduation, Gabbard plans on attending college and going into a field where he can give back to those who have helped him along his journey.

“I’m pretty settled on going to University of Southern Indiana for a nursing program,” Gabbard said. “I’ve been around the doctor’s office my entire life, and I thought maybe it would be a good chance to give back to the people who helped me, and maybe I can help others out at the same time.”

He will continue swimming for therapeutic reasons and can participate in other low-impact sports at noncompetitive levels.

Gabbard said that he will require more surgeries in his adult life.

Before he leaves for school, Gabbard will return to Shields Park Pool again in the summer as a lifeguard and work with Boggs.

“I feel that it’s really possible, no matter what situation you’re in, to improve yourself,” Gabbard said. “All it takes is to push yourself and apply yourself to whatever limits you can.”

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Name: Donovan Gabbard

School: Seymour High School

Parents: Jennifer Crussel and Casey Gabbard

Siblings: Devin Crussel, Colton Gabbard, Dillon Elkins

Sport: swimming 3 years

Athletic highlights: sectional junior year, 100 buttefly

Organizations: lifeguarding

Plans after high school: go to USI for nursing program

Favorite food: pizza

Favorite TV show: Futurama

Favorite singer/musician: Nightwish

favorite movie: Deadpool

Favorite team: Indianapolis Colts

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