Be Inspired by Those Who Inspire

In my last book, I told a story about my Grandma Evans.  Spaghetti Sandwiches turned out to be the perfect opening chapter of my first book.  It got the reader’s attention and hopefully kept them engaged.  It was an inspirational story about my Grandma Evans and the spaghetti sandwiches she made me as a kid.  Several of my readers reported back to me that it was their favorite and brought tears to their eyes.  Mission accomplished.  Who could have known that.  I sure didn’t see that one coming. 

            Throughout my career, as I stated in the last book, many have continued to ask me what motivates me.  What inspires me?  What drives me through my days, especially the tough ones?  Where does my inspiration come from? My answers vary.  My inspiration doesn’t always show up at the door perfectly wrapped and unbroken.  Sometimes, inspiration just happens when you’re not looking.  Case in point, the story of Jason McElwain.  J-Mac to those of us who followed his story.  Most of you will have no idea who J-Mac is or what he did.  I’m going to attempt to tell you right now.  I hope I can do his story justice. 

Jason McElwain was diagnosed with Autism at two years old.  He never thought he was different.  His father called sports his “equalizer.”  He just wanted to be like all the other kids.  He just wanted to be and thought he was as normal as the next kid.  Jason did not make the varsity basketball team at his high school, Greece Athena, near Rochester, New York.  Instead, he became the team manager.  In three years’ time, dressed in his trademark white button-down dress shirt and tie, he only missed one game.  His roles with the team were quite simple.  He was to set up the game clock, make sure his teammates had water and be enthusiastic from the bench.  Those are his exact words. 

     As Jason’s senior year was wrapping up, Varsity Coach Jim Johnson had an idea.  With no promises of playing in the game, he would allow J-Mac to dress and sit on the bench with the team in his final game. J-Mac was elated and grateful to say the least for the opportunity.  This was his big moment.  

            It’s February 15th  2006 and Greece Athena is playing Spencerport High School.  It’s Senior Night to boot.  The students ate the occasion alive.  They had J-Mac “Bigheads” made.  Banners and signs were everywhere with the news that Jason was going to suit up, be on the bench and might actually see action.  Could this really happen?  The gymnasium was electric.

With 4:19 left in the game,  it happened.  The Trojans were up by twenty when Coach Johnson stood up, looked down towards the end of the bench and motioned for number fifty-two to get ready, he was headed in.   It was time.  It was J-Mac’s time.  He was so excited he almost forgot to officially check in to the game.  When the buzzer went off for him to go onto the floor, he didn’t move.  If there was ever a Rudy moment, this was it.  Alright kid, you’re in!  Go! 

            J-Mac, after a queue from an assistant coach, removed his warm-up pants and hustled in.  The crowd was beyond controllable.  I will just interject here that if you go onto YouTube and look this story up, you will tear up just like I am right now reliving this.  It is simply that moving.  Ok, let’s get back to the game. 

            At the 3:46 mark, Jason got a pass deep in the corner.  He promptly turned and fired, hitting nothing.  You can feel the angst of the crowd with every passing second.  With 3:12 left, another opportunity would present itself.  With J-Mac lined up on the right side of the basket, just beyond the three-point line, he took a pass, squared his stance, eyed the basket and let it fly.  Nothing but net!  The crowd erupted like never before.  Every man, woman and child in the place is standing, yelling and screaming at the top of their lungs.  They had never seen anything like this before and most likely never will again.  What came next was staggering.

“After that first bucket went in, I just kept shooting and I was hot as a pistol,” explained J-Mac.  Wait, what?  What’s he talking about?  It’s just one basket.  OK, great, he scored a basket.  Great story, right?  Let’s move on.  Not so fast.  J-Mac wasn’t quite done.  He, in fact, did keep shooting and shooting and shooting.  In the four minutes and nineteen seconds Jason played, he was 7 of 13 from the floor.  6 of 10 of them were three balls for a total of 20 points.  J-Mac was the game’s high scorer.   The crowd, when not going berserk, was stunned by what they had just witnessed. 

“The basket was just like this big, huge bucket.  It was like I was shooting free throws,” he surmised later.  When the final buzzer sounded, the crowd stormed the floor and carried him off on their shoulders.  One would have thought Greece Athena had won the world title.   Not even close.  An emotional Coach Johnson later said that the moment was the greatest of his career.

All J-Mac wanted in life was a shot.  Not just a shot to play basketball but to just at being a kid like all the rest.  He ground away every day for his teammates as the team manager and then got his shot to be a player.  I dare say, he made the very best of that moment.

If that story doesn’t inspire you, I’m not quite sure if anything will.  Again, go to YouTube and watch the video.  It is truly amazing.   Whenever I’m feeling down or a little sorry for myself, I pull that video up.  That little gem has pulled me out of some pretty dark places throughout the years.  It never fails to deliver.

Be inspired by those who inspire us.