| Special Olympian demonstrates bravery |
| Written by Kathy Rhoads
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Thu, 28 Jun 2007 |
For Paris resident Scott Rhoads, participating in the Special
Olympics is something he enjoys and looks forward to each year. This
year proved to be extra special.
Not only did the 35-year-old earn his first gold medal in the
State
Olympics but he also came to the aid of a fellow Olympian and saved the
man from suffering from what could have been a life-threatening seizure.
Rhoads, a resident of Tanner Place and a member of the
Tanner Tigers,
traveled to Bloomington-Normal recently to compete in the annual
Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games held on the campus of Illinois
State University.
According to his mother, Bunny Rhoads, Scott has
been participating
in the Special Olympics since the age of 15 and works hard each year
training for his events.
This year he won a gold medal in the long jump event
and a silver
medal in a running event. His trainers are Anne Evard and Homer Wolfe.
“Scott really likes the Special Olympics and looks
forward to going
each year,” said Bunny Rhoads while explaining that her son suffers
from cerebral palsy and epilepsy. “This was the first time he earned a
gold medal and is very proud of that medal.”
“We are proud of Scott for his medal but also for
helping the other participant the way he did.”
While up on the podium accepting his gold medal,
Rhoads noticed the
Olympian that had previously beat him in an event started having a
seizure. He knew immediately what needed to be done.
Both Rhoads and the participant suffering from the
seizure had
previously undergone a procedure in which a “vecus nerve
stimulator”
VNS was implanted in their chest.
The VNS serves as a pacemaker in their chest
and helps short
circuit the seizure by running a magnet worn on the wrist or belt over
the VNS.
“Scott saw what was happening and immediately took
his magnet and
ran over to the man and stopped the seizure,” explained his mother.
The oath of the Special Olympics reads: ‘Let me win.
But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
For Scott Rhoads, the act of bravery was not only
unselfish but was
a true demonstration of the type of sportsmanship and humanity which
can serve as a lesson to all.
He is the son of Bunny and Roy Rhoads of Paris.
According to a representative
of the Illinois Special
Olympics the mission of the Olympics is to provide year-round
sports
training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for
children and adults with intellectual disabilities by giving them
continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate
courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gift,s skills
and friend with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the
community.
The focus is on what the athlete can do. They
like to win - but
more importantly - they strive to do their best. The
sportsmanship
that is demonstration on the court, in the field, or on the track
serves as an inspiration to all.
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