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One of season 10’s most moving moments came when Enedina Stanger stepped on to the Minneapolis Qualifying course.
Enedina has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a painful disorder that can cause her bones to slip out of place. We met Enedina back in season seven of American Ninja Warrior. She was on the sidelines to support her husband, Michael, who was running the course. He discussed that he was motivated to get fit to better take care of Enedina, who was confined to a wheelchair at the time.
He returned in season eight, sharing that they’d been told their daughters also had the syndrome. But the family was motivated to stay positive. Enedina then started on her own path to the Ninja Warrior course through nutrition and any exercises she could handle. With dedication and patience, she got herself out of the wheelchair and walked on the sidelines of Micheal’s season nine run.
That was incredible on its own, but Enedina wasn’t done there. In season 10, she wanted the course for herself. She fell on the Floating Steps in a run that was emotional and incredibly memorable.
In an interview before her run, Enedina shared the depth of her determination, saying, “I have high expectations for myself on the course. I’m going to have a lot of fun and see how far I can go. This body is going to take me far.”
It doesn’t look like she’s wavered in that mindset. In a recent Instagram post, Enedina showed off some bruises from her training. She also highlighted a huge accomplishment: She’d completed a 12-foot Warped Wall for the first time!
Enedina is the definition of the Ninja Warrior spirit. When faced with an obstacle, she didn’t give up. She got to work. As she checks off goals, she knows she’s not at the finish line. There’s always more to do and that’s what keeps driving her forward.
Even if Enedina never returns to the show, it wouldn’t matter. She’s already a true American Ninja Warrior.