Vance Walker, an American Ninja warrior with cerebral palsy, was the winner of season 15 of the popular show. His life began with no less than a struggle, but he overcame it all and emerged victorious in front of millions of people.
Learn more about the season 15 winner here as we provide you with details about her height, net worth, girlfriend and more.
Meet Vance Walker, Winner of American Ninja Warrior Season 15
Season 15 of American Ninja War just ended after Vance Walker was named the winner of the season. Vance was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child and was told he would have to wear leg braces for the rest of his life and would never be an athlete.
Vance struggled with bullying at school because of his condition, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines as an incurable neurological disease caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects the muscles. Vance’s mother went into premature labor at just 17 weeks pregnant, and she spent months in the hospital before giving birth at 36 weeks.
Vance told Today that seeing “Kevin Bull do a backflip from Cannonball Alley” sparked his interest in the competition. Since then, Vance has competed in a number of competitions. ANW competitions, including ANW Teen, ANW Season 13, and ANW Part 14.
During the Qualifiers, the participating Ninjas encountered several new challenges and rule changes, including an 18.5-foot Mega Wall and a guaranteed $10,000 prize for any Ninja who could complete the course in under a minute. Vance bravely accepted the challenge, showing perseverance to advance further in the race. The 18-year-old Texan made it through the Qualifiers without a single mistake.
Vance skillfully navigated every challenge and climbed the Mega Wall to claim the $10,000 prize. Vance posted the best time among his fellow Ninjas in the semi-finals, and he and Isaiah Thomas were sent to the Power Tower to compete for the coveted Safety Pass thanks to Vance’s victory.
With the more challenging nature of Stages 1 and 2, the Safety Pass gave Ninjas a second chance if they fell in the Finals. Vance won the Safety Pass by just a hair over Thomas in the head-to-head competition, giving the winning Ninja a victory that would change his life.
With not one but two Ninjas completing Stage 4 under the 30-second cutoff, the 15th season of ANW left audiences in suspense. With a final time of 00:27.99, veteran Daniel Gil finally took the overall win, cementing his ANW history forever. However, Vance finished a full second faster than Daniel, clocking in at 00:26.75, earning him the title of Champion.
Speaking to Distractify, Vance shared that he had no idea what he would do with the prize money. He added, “I’m 18 years old with a million dollars. And fortunately, I was raised to be good with my money. I’ve invested a lot throughout my life. And I got into crypto really early. So I think I’m going to invest a lot of that. And I’m just going to [keep] my money and try to turn it into as much as possible.”
Following his historic win, Vance wrote on his IG, “Winning American Ninja Warrior has been a life goal of mine for 8 years now and to finally live this dream is amazing. I am so lucky to be able to do it with my best friends and training partners, @e.than_bartnicki @caleb_bergie @rjroams @nacssa_garemore and Congrats to @kingdom_ninja on the overall win.”
He also thanked the very important people in his life who helped him make this happen.
What is Vance Walker’s net worth?
Vance Walker has amassed a net worth of just under $1 million after winning the show at just 18 years old. He is a student who has been focused on winning the show for over 8 years.
Vance Walker Height
While Vance Walker’s profile on the Ninja War fandom states that he is 5’6″, he has joked that he is 6’2″.
How old is Vance Walker?
Born in 2004, Vance Walker is 18 years old this year.
Vance Walker Family
Vance Walker is the son of Stacey Walker and Kent Walker. Stacey, born in November 1973, is 49 years old this year. On the other hand, Kent is 56 years old as of November 2022. His birth year is 1966.
Both of Vance’s parents have spoken publicly about the struggles and successes the season 15 winner has witnessed in his life. “I remember… watching the show with him and watching the previous winners,” Kent told TODAY.com. “You could see he just dreamed that one day he would make it, never really thinking he would make it but thinking he could.”
Vance’s life started on the edge.
Speaking to the news outlet, Stacey recalled, “For weeks (doctors) would come in and say, ‘He’s not going to make it. He’s not going to make it.’ Starting at 20 weeks, people were saying, ‘Okay, he might make it, but he might have brain damage. He might go blind.’”
At age 1, Kent and Stacey found out their son was unable to walk. “At first, it was just a fear of how it would affect him… and his future,” Kent added. “We were worried about what we could do to help him feel ‘normal’ so he could have all the same opportunities as everyone else.”
Bullies reportedly teased Vance at school because of his braces or the way he walked. While other students at school walked in groups with friends, Vance would walk around the track by himself. He ate his own lunch.
“People would ask him, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ That was the biggest problem,” Stacey added. “I wanted to tell people, ‘There’s nothing wrong with him. That’s the way he was made.’”
Vance credits his ability to survive the difficult years of bullying to the encouragement and support of his parents, who allowed him to take online classes when he was 13 so he could focus on his “American Ninja Warrior” training.
“I’m very grateful to have very supportive parents,” Vance said. Today.com“They were there for me every step of the way, helping me get the best support, the best coaching, the best physical therapy — the best everything I could have.”
In addition to Vance, Stacey and Kent also have a son named Braxton Walker. Braxton attended Lassiter High School, majored in environmental science at Georgia College & State University, and lives in Marietta, Georgia.
Vance’s paternal grandparents are Robert and Kathy Walker. Robert passed away on July 8, 2021. He was married to Kathy for 39 years and had five children: Kyle and Shellie Walker, Amy and Tim Smith, Shanin and Rick Nunley, and Ronnie and Lissa Walker.
Vance Walker’s girlfriend
It is not known whether Vance Walker has a girlfriend or not. He has remained silent when it comes to dating.
Related FAQs
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Where does Vance Walker live?
Vance Walker was born in Houston, Texas and currently lives in Marietta, Georgia.
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What is Vance Walker’s birthday?
Vance Walker’s birthday is in December.
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Is Vance Walker on Instagram and Facebook?
Of course, Vance Walker has profiles on a number of social media platforms. He is on Facebook and Instagram (@vance_walker_anw & @vancewalker16).