Tonight I had the exceptional honor of being inducted in my high school's Hall of Fame. I must say, this is one of the coolest accomplishments I've experienced in my adult life. These are my roots! In my years wheeling the halls of that place, I would have never thought that life would bring me here and to this day.

I was unable to attend the event but my dearest mother stood as my representative and read the following comments. I'd like to share them with you here. Picture coronation night (crowning the Homecoming King and Queen), with the excitement growing about the big football game coming on Friday. Picture a rather large brick building in the middle of a corn field, with school busses parked out front and the gusty prairie winds blowing the State of Iowa and American flags taut. This is the setting, and here are the comments:

Dear friends, colleagues, and West Lyon fans,

It is with deep regret that I am unable to join you tonight. I have
just returned from China where I competed in the 2008 Paralympic
Games. In addition to being out of the country for over a month, I also
need to move to a new apartment before Oct 1 (Wednesday) and
also have two speaking engagements this week. Although this is the case,
I would have loved nothing more than to be with you for coronation and to
join in the celebration. I'm sure the mood tonight is festive and that
everyone is getting revved up to dominate the opposition on Friday night.
Play like only West Lyon can and you will most certainly have a victory!

I am deeply honored at being chosen for induction into the West Lyon
Hall of Fame. Now, ten years after my graduation, I look back with a
bit of nostalgia at the successes and adventures that I have been
blessed to experience. I thank you for this honor and will continue to
hold my head high as a West Lyon graduate, professional athlete, and
physician, knowing that I move forward to new challenges with the
support of hundreds of fans in Northwest Iowa, the best place in the
world to call home. Again, thank you.

That I come from the ranks of a high school with such a strong history
of athletic excellence, one can only assume that the educational
experience that we receive at West Lyon, both in the classroom and on
the playing field, is of superb quality. I regularly brag that I am
only one of several professional athletes to come from our small town
high school - indeed Athletic Director Hoogeveen must be putting
something in the water!

As a school, our incredible resume is the result of the contributions
of many; not only coaches and teachers but also parents, administrators,
and dedicated community members that come together to make our school
the powerhouse that it is.

Having wheeled the halls of west Lyon for 13 years, I remember so many
instances when I was encouraged to get out there and to try new
things, one of which included wheelchair track. I was never allowed to
sit on the sidelines, but rather, benefited from the open minded
thinking and passionate spirit of my teachers and coaches. From the
snowy, windy lanes of the West Lyon track in early season practices to
the Beijing Paralympic Stadium, otherwise known as the Birds Nest,
filled with 90,000 spectators, every moment has been the result of you
all working so hard to get my dreams off the ground. For this, I owe
you everything.

To our current high school students.... my advice is simple. Dream
big. Set your expectations of yourself high, and work hard until you
find yourself having met those expectations. Don't ever think that
something isn't possible, but rather, think about what you want your
life to be, and chase your dream. Along with this comes taking risks
and sometimes failing, but, if you proceed with relentless energy, life
will bring you wonderful things. Never grow up completely, keep laughing,
respect everyone you meet, and learn to love the adventure along the
way.

Once again, my most sincere thanks for presenting me with this honor.
For every time I have crossed the finish line, it has been
symbolic of the thousands of people who have worked so hard to get me
there. West Lyon is an amazing place, and I know it is only a matter
of time until the next Olympian or Paralympian-to-be walks through
these halls.