In February 2006, a boy 18 years became a major player in U.S. television news. If we say that made headlines by scoring 20 points in a school basketball game, you might think that this is a story of the most common. And yet, the name of Jason McElwain went around the world by starring in one of the most beautiful stories of overcoming that has never known the world of sport.
Jason McElwain (J-Mac to his teammates) did not start speaking until age 5, and even today, being a great man, their speech is limited, does not regulate the volume your voice, body language plays no ... J-Mac is autistic. Born October 1, 1987, son of Dave and Debbie, lived from little with his parents in Rochester, a suburb of New York. At an early age, was diagnosed with autism and was sent to special education classes.
Jason McElwain (J-Mac to his teammates) did not start speaking until age 5, and even today, being a great man, their speech is limited, does not regulate the volume your voice, body language plays no ... J-Mac is autistic. Born October 1, 1987, son of Dave and Debbie, lived from little with his parents in Rochester, a suburb of New York. At an early age, was diagnosed with autism and was sent to special education classes.
That did not stop him develop his passion for basketball, a sport he discovered the hand of his older brother, Josh. He signed to play for his school team, the Greece Athena High School , a modest high school in Rochester, but not accepted. And autism is linked to another major obstacle: his small stature (1.65 m) for a sport of giants.
But his passion for basketball was so great that, after being rejected as a player, volunteered to be the delegate Trojans, the name is known by his school team. Thus, for three years, always enthusiastic and helpful, was the perfect support for the coach and his companions had statistics and computer chips, had the towels and drinks always prepared, helped the players shooting sessions ... He was one of the team but not playing ... until that day.
Four minutes February 15 2006, J-Mac -a special kid, a different player, grabbed all the attention he had not had for years. That day, Greece Athena faced Spencerport school which was the last regular season game. Things are going really well for the Trojans, who had achieved a superior advantage to score points. Then, with the match already decided, coach Jim Johnson wanted to reward his perseverance and dedication of years letting you play a while. With the number 52 on his shirt and a ribbon in her hair, her appearance in court was celebrated with great jubilation by the public attending the party, mostly known this infinite goodness that guy always up for its limitations with a tremendous force of will and desire to improve.
jumped onto the field, excited, just four minutes. Their first release, a triple and did not touch the rim, and also missed his second shot close to the basket. On the next possession for his team, received the ball and played another three from seven meters, that this time it came. From there, he did what no one had ever done before: he noted, without failure, five more triples and a two-point basket. Total: 20 points in three minutes, time that broke all scoring records in history. In the last moments of the match, peers sought him again and again, aware of the feat that was starring. And J-Mac , touched by a magic wand, dead on, he kept throwing ... and scoring. The audience that filled the stands and his fellow-believers, celebrating cheering, jumping for joy, every one of their baskets.
The end result (from 1979 to 1943 for Greece Athena ) was not more than an anecdote. As the signal sounded the final whistle, spectators invaded the pitch and ran to hug J-Mac who, deeply moved, was lifted on the shoulders. The shy, quiet boy who suffered to interact with their environment was the hero of the moment. In the following days, the images of his exploits would circle the world. And her story of hope fill thousands of households where children live with problems.
Avalanche
media that day, Jason had asked his grandmother to come to the flag because he knew he could get to play if the score was loose. Also witnessing the event was Andy McCormack, the speech therapist during his high school years had helped him with his disorder. It was McCormack who, the day after, called John Kuck, director of sports chain of Rochester WROC 8 TV, and asked him to see the tape of what happened the night before on the small flag of Greece Athena school. Reluctant at first, Kuck was later to acknowledge that McCormack's insistence that led him to take a look at the tape. As he did, he knew he had to broadcast it on the news of late. Within days, the images of McElwain's feat was playing on all the national chains and many others worldwide.
In his native Rochester, Jason became a celebrity. But his fame went far beyond, and on March 4 was received by President of the United States, George W. Bush, who stopped at an airport on the way to Canandaigua, to meet and chat with the young man who had aroused the interest of all. "Our country was captivated by his amazing story on a basketball court," Bush said. It is the story of Coach Johnson will give a chance to a person. It is the story of deep love Dave and Debbie for their child. And is the story of a young man who finds his place on a basketball court and, in turn, touches the hearts of the citizens of this country. " Bush also admitted to have cried see television images of McElwain's feat, "as did many others."
starred in the days following a spate of interviews on television programs most watched ( The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live or Good Morning America), all tributes type hearings famous athletes like Magic Johnson, with public figures ... He also received the prize awarded to the best of ESPN sports moment of the year and wrote a song in his honor.
Tear Down the Berlin Wall
After his rise to fame, Jason wrote, with the help of a professional writer, a book entitled "The game of my life", in which he reviewed his life and deeds of that day. In 2009 she starred in an ad for Gatorade as part of an advertising campaign for this brand of sports drinks, and his parents reached an agreement with producer Columbia Pictures to bring his story to the big screen, but since then the project has stalled .
Today, McElwain reconciles his studies by working part time at a food market in his native Greece, where it remains a celebrity. Meanwhile, whenever possible, traveling around the country to help raise funds for autism research, and even today continues to provide occasional interview to recall the game where he scored 20 points in three minutes . Despite that feat, Jason did not play basketball with continuity, but recognizes that sometimes going to make some shots to the basket.
In 2006, in these days of media frenzy for our protagonist, in the midst of the maelstrom, was his mother Debbie who better understood and put into context that lay the true value of his achievement : "I see autism as Jason Berlin wall has broken, "said then. For the first time in his life has been proud of himself and that's priceless. " And it all happened in four minutes. Four minutes that changed everything.
