Lewis Athletics is proud to introduce "Flyer Features," a series spotlighting the incredible individuals who make our program soar. From former and current student-athletes to coaches, staff, and supporters, these stories will celebrate the people driving our success. Join us as we share their journeys, accomplishments, and the impact they've made on the Flyers family.
Isaac Jean-Paul's journey to the Lewis University Flyers Athletics Hall of Fame feels like the perfect script for the next great sports movie." Diagnosed at an early age with juvenile retinoschisis, a visual impairment that left him legally blind, Jean-Paul never let his condition define his limits. A five-time NCAA Division II All-American in the high jump, a national champion, and a world-record holder in the Paralympics, his path was anything but conventional. From being cut from his high school basketball team to becoming one of the most accomplished athletes in Lewis history, his story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and a literal leap of faith.
"I don't see the bar in the high jump—that's my daily true leap of faith," Jean-Paul says, summing up his approach to competition and life.
Jean-Paul, who competed for Lewis from 2014 to 2016, quickly established himself as one of the premier high jumpers in the country. He set school and Great Lakes Valley Conference records and won the 2015 NCAA Division II National Championship. But his journey to that moment was far from traditional.
Growing up, Jean-Paul's dream was basketball, inspired by watching his mother, a Lewis Hall of Famer herself, Rosemary Jean-Paul play the sport. When he was cut from his high school team, he turned disappointment into determination, setting new goals for himself. "I wrote down my goals—to go to Lewis University because of my mom," he recalls. "My conception of college was warped around sports. My grades weren't great, but I knew I was destined to do something in college and, ultimately, in life."
Jean-Paul almost didn't discover track and field; it only happened through his childhood friends. "It actually started as a joke with my friends," he says, recalling a playful debate over whether he could outrun NFL return specialist Devin Hester and his friends. That friendly argument led him to test his speed on the track, and soon after, he found himself competing. "One thing led to another, and I found myself on the track team—it all just clicked for me."
That click set off a chain reaction. Within four years of picking up the sport, he was jumping over seven feet, just three inches shy of Olympic qualifying standards. "I honestly still can't conceptualize what I do," he admits. "It makes zero sense for somebody like me to accomplish and be where I am today. I am incredibly blessed."
Jean-Paul doesn't shy away from talking about his perceived disability. "I have no peripheral vision on my left side and am completely blind in low light," he explains. "I compete and live through feel and other senses. I have tremendous faith in God and live off of that feeling."
Initially, he struggled with competing in the Paralympics, thinking he was "too good" for it. But he quickly realized the significance of embracing his identity as a para-athlete. "I was not better than somebody with disabilities, but at times I admittedly had those thoughts, and that was wrong," he says. "When I joined the Paralympics, it hit a new level. I was no longer the main athlete. Training alongside Olympians in Chula Vista was a humbling experience."
That training paid off. Jean-Paul now holds the Paralympic world record in the high jump and has competed in the last two Paralympic Games, winning bronze in Tokyo and silver in Paris. At the 2023 World Championships, he claimed gold in the long jump, adding to his collection of international medals. Now, with his sights set on LA 2028, he is determined to become the first athlete to compete in both the Paralympics and the Olympics.
Jean-Paul credits Lewis University for shaping both his athletic and academic journey. "Lewis was the perfect environment for me," he says. "I don't think I would have done well academically at a bigger institution. I got the help I needed, it was perfect for my situation. The disability resources center, Courtney at Academics, my professors like Professor Allen—everyone got me right. Second to none is Lewis University."
He discovered a love for learning at Lewis that went beyond the track. "I started to realize at Lewis that learning was fun and enjoyable. I wouldn't change one thing about my process. Lewis was perfect for me."
Now, as he is inducted into the Lewis Flyers Athletics Hall of Fame, Jean-Paul reflects on how everything has come full circle. "Lewis will always be close to my heart. There is zero doubt that this is how it was supposed to play out. I want to represent Team USA in 2028 while making sure my Lewis gear is underneath the red, white, and blue."
Jean-Paul is taking that leap of faith—both on and off the track. His legacy at Lewis University is now forever enshrined alongside the greats, including his own mother. And for Jean-Paul, this is just another step toward clearing the next bar in life.
