"The world's most inspirational Paralympians" was a headline of a centrepiece in one of the national newspapers. The article featured 9 (maybe 11 if you include the 2 Rwandans that compete as a united team though only 18 years earlier fought each other on separate armies of the civil war- each of their amputees a result of conflict and their chosen sport one of collaboration, sitting volleyball.) It even had Dedeline, from Congo who lost her legs from Landmines. But at the centre was two athletes Leon Gainsly and Josue Cajust from Haiti. They both represent a country that is crippled with poverty and disaster. They train by rubble. They train amongst name calling and represent, like all these athletes, a Dream of something bigger than sport, disability and politics.
I was grateful, albeit by accident, stumble upon Leon, just as thos who rescued him from the rubble which claimed his wife, 8 children and his legs in what should have been a maternity ward that I was involved in trying to help amidst the earthquake of 2010. I didn't plan on meeting him. I guess I didn't plan on seeing a girl dying when I was there that was crippled by disability and left to die by a doctor who couldn't help her yet desperately wanted to help.
Seeing Leon and Josue's determination and desire to be more at the centre of those pages inspired me. I will cheer them on over these days and salute all who compete amongst incredible adversity in the Paralympics. Every athlete has a story and loving how these games celebrates each of them and allows these to be taken back to their communities to inspire and bring hope.
Here's the moment when we got to meet some of them.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
No comments:
Post a Comment