Adopted into a huge, loving family of swimmers, one boy proves that without most of his limbs, he can still swim like the rest of them.

Ann and Ed Marsh have big hearts. They also have a big family. The couple has fostered 50 children over the years, have two biological children and have adopted 10 more.

Gabe, the seventh adopted child, was born without any legs and only one arm. Doctors aren’t sure why this happened, but the 6-year-old is determined to not let his condition slow him down. Especially not when it comes to swimming.

Most of the 60 children who have lived in the Marsh household have learned to swim and competed on the Guntersville, Ala. swim team. Ann and Ed didn’t expect Gabe to join the ranks, but he jumped right in with the rest of them.

The Marshes had assumed that their new boy would never be a swimmer, and understandably so, Ann was startled when she saw him swimming underwater. You can see a picture of Gabe here.

“I thought you had to have two legs and arms to swim,” she told The Huntsville Times. “I guess he sees the rest of the kids doing it, and he wants to do it, too.’

Gabe now, too, swims on the Guntersville swim team, and he doesn’t expect any special treatment. Even with only one limb, and reaching only 27 inches, he’s definitely keeping afloat amongst the other children.

“He just doesn’t realize he can’t do like the rest of the kids,” Ed said. “He doesn’t realize he’s handicapped.”

The Marshes are amazed by Gabe, and so is his entire community and swim team. He has become quite an inspiration.

“We have kids who can win state (championships),” said swim team parent, Mary Shea Gaston. “But he’s our greatest accomplishment.”