No matter how many barrels or fireballs are hurled at Jason Brittain, he’s learned an important lesson: never give up.
Brittain was attempting to break his personal-best score playing a retro Donkey Kong arcade game in front of a roaming crowd at the Telus World of Science Thursday.
“I’m turning 38 in a month, so this is my early birthday. This is a good present for me, so I am happy – I am really happy,” he said.
He said he’s happy not only because he’s playing in front of a small audience – although admittedly, he does enjoy the attention – but rather because he’s now able to stand on his own, with the help of a prosthetic leg.
“Life can bring you anything. I had my right leg amputated,” he explained. “This was one of my main goals: I was hoping I can stand up and actually do this.”
Brittain has been living with Type 1 diabetes for 28 years. Just last year, complications from the disease resulted in doctors amputating his right leg.
He was admitted to the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital where he stayed for three weeks.
“I had no idea whether I was going to [be able to stand]. I was wobbling, I was turning, the foot was super bad,” he said.
Brittain persevered because he was motivated to attend the Donkey Kong competition in southern California earlier this month.
He didn’t make it to the event this year but he said he is just as content to be playing at home.
“I’m just grateful, thankful just for being here, to everybody watching. It is a phenomenal experience.”
He says he’s currently ranked fourth in Canada with a score of 1,020,800.
He did not beat his high score Thursday, but he’ll keep on playing and do what he knows best: not give up.
With files from Dan Grummett
