Bailey Matthews, an eight-year-old boy with cerebral palsy from Doncaster, England, competed in the Castle Triathlon Series. Matthews was running the final event with his walker, but as he neared the finish line, and saw the crowd, he decided he must try to complete the event without assistance.
He tossed his walker, which he needs to ambulate, and began trying to run to the finish line. He would make it a few steps, fall, but get back up and continue. The crowd went crazy with admiration. The announcer in the background could be heard cheering him on, “You’re going to make it to the finish line, Bailey Matthews. You’re going to make it to the finish line.”
Bailey completed a 100-meter lake swim, a 4,000-meter bike ride, and a 1,300-meter run. “Bailey has always been very determined,” said Julie, his mother. “If he wants to do something, he will find a way to do it, even if it is not the conventional way.”
We at ROF wish our leaders in America had one-tenth the courage of Bailey.