In his 36 years Lester has survived more trials, endured more horrors and surmounted more obstacles than would fit in a Hollywood film. After each upset, letdown, and setback he has recommitted himself to pursuing his dream of becoming an accomplished athlete, despite his challenges.

Lester grew up in Arizona, where he became obsessed with sports as a coping mechanism and by age 12, developed into a skilled athlete with numerous accolades. As fate would have it, he was hit by a car while riding his bike, resulting in 21 broken bones, a collapsed lung, and a paralyzed right arm, stifling his dream of excelling in sports. As Lester was slowly leaning to adjust to his disability, his father and sole guardian died at the age of 39.

Still, inspired by the memory of his late father's love of athletics, Lester grew up to become a star in high school and college athletics. By the age of 16, he was competing in running and biathlon events. After participating in countless races, including 5k, 10k, biathlons and marathons, Lester was ranked #2 in the state of Arizona in biathlons at the age of 18.

The turning point in Lester's athletic career came from a visit to the Big Isle of Hawaii. He stumbled upon the 2004 Hawaiian Ironman Championships taking place in Kona and it was there that his spirit was totally overcome by the awe of this race. He felt re-energized and came to believe that this was his life's calling. With a goal to race the Hawaii Ironman Championships himself, Lester began a rigorous training schedule. While he continued with the intensive workouts in preparation for his first big race, the Arizona Ironman, Lester began to notice something truly amazing - he was regaining movement in his paralyzed arm.

Lester achieved a personal and sports milestone by becoming the first physically challenged athlete ever to complete the Ultraman World Championships in Hawaii on November 30, 2008, finishing the ultra-distance triathlon where he swam 6.2 miles, biked 261.4 miles and ran 52.4 miles to the finish line.

In the year leading up to the 2008 Ultraman World Championships, Lester raced in three Ironman competitions including the Ironman World Championships, represented the USA in the Triathlon World Championships, and completed Ultraman Canada. It was in realizing God's presence in his life that Lester was able to overcome each obstacle, while continuing to train and push forward with his eye on the goal.

Today, Lester lives and trains in Hawaii. He has competed in numerous extreme races, including the Arizona Ironman, Western Australia Ironman, Hawaii Ironman World Championship, Canada Ultraman, Hawaii Ultraman World Championships and most recently EPIC5 where he completed five iron distance triathlons on five Hawaiian Islands in less than seven days. He's been profiled in numerous print and online publications including Competitor Magazine, West Hawaii Today, USA Triathlon, ESPN Radio, Inspiration Journal, Ironman.com and AOL's Everyday Athlete Spotlight.

With all of these experiences, Lester has dedicated his life to motivate and move others to reach for new heights. A successful athlete, artist, and activist, he knows firsthand what it is like to be faced with countless challenges as a child, both mentally and physically. Now an adult and Ironman triathlete, Lester uses the forum of sports to inspire and motivate others, worldwide. His vision is to use his involvement in sports and passion for racing, as a platform in which to share his message of hope with all youth.

Lester is also an accomplished artist. Both his father and grandfather were skilled artists, and Lester seemed to have inherited the same gift - a natural talent for painting. In 2004 he opened The JR Gallery in Manhattan Beach, California, featuring the works of new and established artists, including paintings from Lester's own collection. The gallery and art career flourished and he became an internationally acclaimed artist, with many of his works and private commissions being requested by the sports clients of his past.