Powerlifter brings home gold
His plane had landed earlier than expected, so Garrett Ford sat in baggage claim while his family drove to John Glenn Columbus International Airport on Saturday morning.
He played on his phone and waited with his teammate, Jabari Wilson, and his coach, John Wysocki, and the Wilson family.
Nearly three weeks had passed since the 20-year-old from Pataskala said goodbye to his grandparents and siblings and left for the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi.
Ford, a powerlifter with autism spectrum disorder, competed in three events: bench press, dead lift and squat.
Bringing home anything but gold, Ford said earlier this month, was not an option. He didn’t disappoint. Ford won a gold medal in each of his events, and another gold medal for best overall.
Ford’s teammate, Wilson, also brought home a gold medal in the pentathlon.
The games were fun, but Ford couldn’t wait to see his family.
His 7-year-old half-brother, Connor, came running around the corner. Behind him was Ford’s 13-year-old stepsister, Grace; his grandparents, Sally and Bill Lane; and his mom and stepdad, Leah and Justin Yost, who had returned from Abu Dhabi the night before.
Grace held up a neon green poster board with the words “Welcome Home Garrett” written in black marker. Slung around Connor’s neck were Ford’s four gold medals.
Scooping Connor into his arms and giving hugs all around, Ford said, “I missed you all. I missed you all so much.”
shendrix@dispatch.com @sheridan120