This past weekend our family was privileged to attend a ceremony to dedicate Catholic Central’s new track and field area to my mom’s brother Jim Gardiner. He was an incredible athlete in basketball, football, and track during high school. When he was 19yrs old, he dove into a shallow lake and severed his spinal cord, confining him to a wheelchair as a quadriplegic for the remainder of his life. Eventually he turned his love and knowledge of sports into a career of coaching track and field at Catholic Central in Grand Rapids, MI.
Growing up, I always loved spending time at my grandparents home and hanging out in my uncle’s room where there was a constant flow of activity with track members stopping by, caregivers coming and going, and my favorite part – helping my uncle. Whether it was putting a fresh sheet of paper in the typewriter, inserting an eraser tipped pencil into his splint so he could type, or giving him a sip of water from a cup, he made me feel important and needed. I loved watching him live life and overcome his physical limitations.
As a child, I just thought he was just a really cool uncle, but now as an adult I’m beginning to realize the incredible impact he had on the lives of the athletes he coached and mentored.
Joy is celebrating the incredible legacy that will continue to be remembered and celebrated by the athletes who knew him and the ones who will visit this field and hear the story of the man who wouldn’t let you say “I can’t.”
