It's from 2006, but bears re-watching. Video of autistic high school basketball manager Jason McElwain's high-scoring basketball game has gone viral again this week and honestly, I just don't get tired of it. No matter how many times I see it, I grin. And weep.
On Facebook you can watch the clip from CBS, which didn't give YouTube the rights to run it. But I liked the ESPN piece on Jason the best anyway, which you can watch right here.
He's from my town, and we have some amazing services for kids with autism and an amazing group of researchers examining the most effective treatments -- and some even looking into the potential causes. His family is to be commended, as is he, but so is the entire community (including his school!) for being so supportive of helping kids meet their true potential, which is too often much higher than what some assume.
ReplyDeletei remember that kid!
ReplyDeleteThanks for making me cry at work.
ReplyDeleteI love this story! I am with you . . . I can't watch it without crying. I wish that every kid had that sort of acceptance and support from his teachers and peers; especially their peers.
ReplyDeleteA friend sent me this yesterday, and it just melted my heart. I cried and sniffled and had to go hug my cat because, you know, my little one just doesn't do hugs. A friend said to me, "look at all the lives he's changed!" and I think she was spot on. Not only have all those people made a difference in the life of one kid and his family, but he has forever changed how they will think and feel about people with special needs.
ReplyDeleteI posted it again this morning- I love it as well- can watch anyday of the week.
ReplyDeleteI've watched this a million times and still cry. I wish this for Many more kids on the spectrum.
ReplyDeleteGoosebumps.
ReplyDeleteI love this video and the first time it went viral I was all "oh my goodness" but this time I wanted to say "so why wasn't the kid on the team the whole time?"
ReplyDeleteI mean, we don't have enough info to figure out whether or not he would have been this successful the whole season, and obviously his teammates were doing a good job setting him up, but that many baskets in that many minutes? That kid's got skillz, disability or no.
It is pretty awesome! I posted it on FB as well.
ReplyDeleteMary, that was the first thought in my head. That shows an extraordinary talent, and focus. Why did they not let him play in the first place? Because he was too short? How many players could boast his attendance record? Incredible and adorable kid.
ReplyDeleteI never get tired of that video. Never. I'll have to post it to my FB profile again, because everyone needs a little more awesomeness to their day.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the new "brain highways" videos for sensory issues? They rock. I have to show them to my son's IEP team in the spring (he has vestibular issues related to hearing loss, but the proprioceptive video is awesome - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2iOliN3fAE)
My friend posted it to her FB profile and it was the most awesome video I had seen on sensory issues (for explaining it to others).