Have you heard the story about Jason McElwain, the water boy and manager of a high school basketball team in Rochester, New York? It’s so remarkable that one is tempted to begin it with the words, “Once upon a time.”
Jason was born with autism and didn’t speak until he was five years old. He loved basketball and tried out for his high school team but never made the cut. So he volunteered to assist the coach as team manager. His enthusiasm and passion made him a favorite with the players and the hometown crowd.
Then, before the final game of Jason’s senior year, the coach handed the young man a uniform. And, with four minutes remaining in the contest, he called Jason’s name and told him to check into the game.
The crowd cheered as Jason stepped onto the court. He missed his first two shots, but then something magical happened. Jason put up a three-point shot, and it went in. So did his next. And the next. When the final buzzer sounded, Jason had made seven shots, six of them from three-point range. The crowd went wild and rushed onto the court as Jason’s teammates lifted the unlikely hero onto their shoulders.
Jason’s story inspired many people that night and thousands since. There’s something deep within us that loves to cheer for those who defy the odds and achieve the heroic. Perhaps it is because when we see the hidden potential in others, we get a glimpse of what lies within ourselves. Perhaps, like Jason McElwain, all we need is the opportunity to show it.
Program #4018