Got the gold
Hometown greeting for Special Olympics champ
Daniel Martin returns from medal-winning performance at Special Olympics worlds to enthusiastic hometown greeting
Sitting proudly in the passenger seat of a New Glasgow fire truck and after a police cruiser escorted him down East River Road, Daniel Martin climbed out of the truck and was greeted by about 60 supporters at the UCT building.
Those supporters were eager to express their pride for his gold in the 1,600-metre snowshoe event and silver-medal winning performance in the 4X400 snowshoe event at the Special Olympics World Games last week in Austria.
But no one is prouder than Daniel’s parents, Billy Martin and Tammy Velcoff.
Velcoff said she knew her son had athletic ability from the time he was two years old.
“He was not a sit-down child,” she said “He was always busy, always moving.”
In fact a teacher he had in Primary who came to the celebration Tuesday night said how amazed she was by how still he could sit now. In Primary he rarely stayed in one place.
Daniel, now 20, has autism, and while he can’t communicate much about what it was like for him to take part in the Special Olympic World Games, Velcoff knows he enjoyed it, just like he enjoys all the sports he takes part in.
“He’s proud of himself. He just doesn’t know how to show it,” she said.
Daniel started snowshoeing about six years ago, but was involved in swimming before that.
“Daniel does all the sports, just about, in Special Olympics,” Velcoff said. “He curls. He’s now started track. He swims.”
As amazing as last week’s medal victories were, Velcoff said it wouldn’t have happened without the support of volunteer coaches and others who have helped him along the way investing their time not only to train him, but also helping fundraise to enable him to take part in events. “It’s overwhelming,” she said.
Since Daniel still lives at home with his parents, she said it gives him a chance to get out on his own and have more independence as he travels for weekends away or in the case of the World Games spending two weeks away.
“He just absolutely loves it,” she said.
She said he’s now talking about the next world games.
“He’s already starting to set goals for himself, which is something I didn’t know he had the capability of doing.”
To see the great turnout Tuesday night as well as at an event held at Northumberland Regional High School where he attends school was also heartwarming for Velcoff.
“I’m just so thankful for everyone that’s been in Daniel’s life, cheered him on or patted him on the back. I can’t thank everybody enough.”