Seventeen-year old Nico Badeaux is an award winning athlete who traveled around the country and overseas to Europe. The New Iberia native has won gold and silver medals in track and field. Most wouldn’t know, but the impressive athlete has cerebral palsy.

His mom, Stephanie Lamperez coordinated an event, which five year later has helped to raise thousands for para-athletes.

“These kids with medical disabilities have a lot of financial responsibilities on the families, so they can’t really afford to let their kids participate in a lot of athletic opportunities and travel,” said Lamperez.

Mudbugs on the Bayou is an annual crawfish boil sponsored by the Paralympic Sport Louisiana Athletes and affiliate organization GUMBO, or Games Uniting Mind and Body.  Lamperez, a state GUMBO coach has helped many athletes with physical and visual disabilities.

“”You don’t have to be an elite athlete like Nico and go to the Paralympic level and join Team USA. You can just go out there and have fun and either learn to run or swim,” she explained.

Before becoming an elite athlete, Badeaux was a shy boy, who craved to have the same experiences as others.

“Now, I have a lot of friends from around the world, around the country, around the state,” Badeaux said. “I wouldn’t have that without starting off in GUMBO or without her event helping fundraise so that I can go and have these experiences.”

Badeaux will travel to the Netherlands in 2015 to compete with Junior Team USA and said he’ll continue to compete until doctors tell him to stop.

Mudbugs on the Bayou takes place Saturday, May 2^nd from 10:30am to 2pm at New Iberia City Park. The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office will help boil and serve 10.5. Pounds of crawfish and two potatoes to the public for 10 dollars. For more information, visit gumbogames.com