osed ▁with ▁Sp ina ▁B if ida ▁and ▁H ydro ce phal us ▁( ▁water ▁on ▁the ▁brain ▁). ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁next ▁ 8 ▁years ▁he ▁was ▁monitor ed ▁closely ▁and ▁had ▁regular ▁hospital ▁vis its ▁to ▁monitor ▁his ▁condition ▁to ▁determine ▁if ▁and ▁when ▁he ▁would ▁need ▁a ▁sh unt ▁ ▁put ▁in . ▁ ▁His ▁parents , ▁Bas il ▁and ▁Mary , ▁were ▁ad vised ▁by ▁do ctors ▁that ▁he ▁should ▁not ▁play ▁any ▁contact ▁sports , ▁for ▁fear ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁become ▁par al yz ed ▁if ▁he ▁was ▁hit ▁in ▁the ▁wrong ▁place . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁play ▁rugby ▁at ▁school . ▁ ▁Instead ▁he ▁took ▁up ▁sw imming , ▁power - l ifting , ▁ ▁Olympic - l ifting ▁and ▁j avel in ▁throwing . ▁ ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁compet itive ▁school ▁and ▁district ▁level ▁sw immer ▁and ▁a ▁county ▁level ▁weight l if ter . ▁ ▁But ▁it ▁was ▁ability ▁to ▁throw ▁a ▁j avel in ▁where ▁he ▁really ▁excel led ▁and ▁rapidly ▁rose ▁to ▁a ▁national ▁level . ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁medical ▁issues ▁Brad stock ▁was ▁having ▁it ▁did ▁not ▁d amp en ▁his ▁love ▁of ▁sports , ▁especially ▁throwing ▁things . ▁ ▁From ▁age ▁ 6 ▁he ▁would ▁throw ▁anything ▁and ▁everything ▁from ▁stones ▁and ▁st icks ▁to ▁app les ▁and ▁snow ball s ▁which ▁continues ▁on ▁today , ▁even ▁in ▁his ▁late ▁- 5 0 s . ▁ ▁Brad stock ▁also ▁had ▁an ▁ob session ▁and ▁passion ▁with ▁art ▁from