What is a disability?

I was listening to Mike Casey on 99.5 the Mtn. this a.m. (He is, by the way, a good d.j., has a heart as well as a head - gets into the history of rock and rock artists. Rick Lewis and friends show on 103.5 the Fox is titillating but vapid, little or no content.)

Anyway! Mike related a story about a teenager. While, he said, most teens today - and always- are pretty self-absorbed, this kid did an amazing thing.

The kid has a brother with severe cerebral palsy. This past weekend the teen CARRIED his c.p. bro. (read 60-65 lbs.) 57 miles, I think without stopping. On a different occasion, he had carried him 40 miles. He did it, he said, to raise awareness for the disease.

Why?

I was quickly reminded of another, similar incident. I even saw a video of this one.

Some 20 yrs. ago I would guess, some guy about 50 or maybe 55 yrs. old decided to compete in an Iron Man Triathalon. Why?

Because one day his teenaged son with cerebral palsy wanted to be in one.

What?

The kid couldn't even walk, or talk all that coherently even.

Well, the dad said, if you want to be in a triathalon... WE will be in one!

So this ordinary, every day dad started training... and training... and, well, you get it.

Ok, come the day of the event, THEY were ready. Start with the bike race: some 50 miles or so... he biked with the kid in a basket attached to the front. Ok, next the 1-mile or so swim: he had his kid on a raft behind him with a rope attached to him as he swam.

Phew! Finally... yes... the 26-mile marathon, just to round things out.

He pushed his C.P. son in a stroller in front of him. The son looked maybe 60-90 lbs. in weight, I guess.

Of course, the dad (and son) didn't fininsh till way after everyone else, well into the night.

But as they crossed the finish line, the kid cried out, "I did it".

He did it all right.

Later, after the dad had some much-needed time to recoup, a reporter came up to him. Geez, man, he said. Look at your age and what you just accomplished carrying your son all that way!! Think , man, what you could have done if you hadn't had to carry him!

The dad paused a moment, then looked the reporter in the eye.

You missed the whole point, he said... I wouldn't have even DONE it without him.