Davey Zio: How the joy of the Winter Paralympics will strengthen the fight against motor neurone disease

When Zyw was diagnosed with MND, he was working as a sommelier and wine buyer in London. His first symptom was numbness in his left thumb.

Zyw was initially misdiagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, “and he had no reason to consider this impossible and unlikely diagnosis at the time.”

A third of those infected with this devastating disease die within a year, and half within two years. Zyw is one of the “lucky ones.”

Although his disease is slowly progressing, he has now lost most of the function in his hands, and the muscles in his upper body are weakening.

One of the positives in the wake of his diagnosis was returning to snowboarding.

Having learned to snowboard as a child on a dry slope in Edinburgh, he competed as a freestyler in his early 20s before a knee injury forced that.

“I learned very quickly that the only aspect of this diagnosis that I had control over was my attitude toward it,” he added.

“I could not influence how quickly the disease appeared, how quickly I fell off the cliff, how quickly I lost motor functions.

“When I stuck to that positive message, every day became easier and that’s what I’ve done every day since.”

The Davy Zyw Fan Club came out in full force at the games, flying British and Scottish flags and wearing blue hats emblazoned with their nickname to watch them in action.

On the bus to the ice skating park, an impromptu chant of “No Davey, No Party” was launched, and the renditions continued throughout the day.

Among those who sang alongside the course were Zyw’s wife Yvie and four-year-old son Alexander, who was “screwing his head off in celebration and admiration” as his father walked past him during the opening round.

But this race did not end as he had hoped, as he was hospitalized with two broken ribs after a severe accident, having already injured his knee during official training.

Such is the pain from his broken ribs, he can’t laugh or sneeze but nothing will stop him from returning to the starting gate for Friday’s slalom race.

In doing so, he finished 19th – but that is irrelevant. This Paralympic experience has never been about medals or results.

“Two years ago I wouldn’t have been classified as a Paralympic athlete, and in two years I won’t be a competitive figure skater,” he said.

“So I’m in this kind of tragic period of my diagnosis where I’m sick enough to be classified as a disabled athlete, but well enough to be able to shred on my skateboard.

“I’m grateful that the Games came at this moment, because in a few years that won’t be possible.”