Negativity and selfishness gets great publicity in our social networking, indirect-contact society. You’d be led to believe the world’s running low on good people and that no one cares for or respects one another anymore. Their only concerns are themselves; and when they’re in need, no one is willing to lend them a hand without reward.
This is not the case. Kind, caring, selflessly-generous people still exist. Jerome Avery is a shining example.
A World Championship and Paralympics gold medal sprinter, Avery’s blistering speed has allowed him to compete all over the world. Since 2004 the Lamoore, California native has been a guide runner for the U.S. Paralympics. Avery assists athletes who are blind or sight impaired, astoundingly running in sync with them from start to victorious finish.
Avery teamed with David Brown, the first totally blind athlete to run under the 11-second barrier in the 100-meter, to capture the gold medal in the Men’s 100m at the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games in Rio de Janerio. Documentation of his inspiring work and success also brought him an Emmy nomination. Avery was, with widespread love and praise, profiled by Dick Sport’s The Contenders. While good at what he does, he’s also a good person and one who believes in helping others.
I asked Jerome Avery to tell me about a time when he did something nice for someone he didn’t know. Here’s what he shared.
“After I was done running as an individual athlete trying to chase my dreams, an Olympic hopeful, that’s when I got into guide running for blind athletes. I’m running with them, connecting with them, tethered to them and communicating with them while we’re running. That opened up a whole new door.
In the Paralympic world not only do I deal with the blind athletes, but I’m around athletes of different disabilities – such as wheelchairs, single leg amputees, double leg amputees, above the knee amputees. That opened my mind up to so much that’s going on in this world.
I’ve met so many people who’ve needed help. Just people you see every day but don’t realize the benefits or what else is out there because of the opportunities I’ve had. I’ve seen people who’re in wheelchairs and they’ve never heard of the Paralympics. And I’ve got them involved in the sport.
I’ve seen people who were blind and thought they would just live through the system, and that’s how they’d live the rest of their lives. I’ve introduced them to running, staying in shape, traveling, experiencing the world through their perception of it.
Those are just different things I’ve had the opportunity to share. Just spreading my knowledge and my message of what’s going on. As a member of the U.S. Paralympic Team I’m guiding lives.
It all starts from my mother and my father, especially my father who was a track coach. He helped out kids time after time. As a youngster I used to wonder why my mom and my dad talked to so many people and just reaching out to people they saw who were in need, and they’d just start a conversation.
I feel like I became that person. I became like my family.” |THIS
“We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving.” – ‘We Are the World’
[Written by Mr. Joe Walker | Follow THIS on Twitter @THISENT1]
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