Hundreds of athletes competed in the Hayden Triathlon this weekend, but one competitor proved that determination and perseverance can help you cross that finish line.

Brenden Nicholas was in a car crash back in October on Highway 12 in Idaho.

The car accident left him with a severe brain injury, a collapsed lung, broken neck and six broken ribs.

"He was in a coma; he was on life support for more than a week," dad Ken Nicholas said.

Coming out of the coma, Brenden taught himself how to eat, how to groom himself and learned sign language.

"Brenden has always been a hard achiever he pushed himself very hard," Ken said.

It's that determination that got him from his hospital bed to the Hayden Triathlon. Brenden competed in the bike portion, biking eight miles on his recumbent trike.

"Yesterday felt like one of those moments in your life where you are just able to celebrate," Ken said.

This is just one of many father/son journeys this duo has to look forward to.

"Brenden has the determination and the ability to keep pushing himself and will be able to do an Ironman someday, which means that I have to do an Ironman because I promised him when he was in the hospital that I would do it with him," Ken said.