For Special Olympics bowler Jeremy Stephen, a medal is a medal.
Stephen earned a bronze medal in the Special Olympics Canada Bowling Championships in Charlottetown, PEI last month.
“Jeremy had 12 strikes and eight spares. He played five games and he did very, very well,” said Kim Stephen, Jeremy’s mother.
“It was amazing. I wouldn’t bowl against the worst of the kids there. It was crazy how good some of these bowlers were.”
Jeremy grew up in Snow Lake before moving to Swan River as a teenager, where he still lives. His mother, Kim, still lives in Snow Lake and serves as the community’s mayor.
Born in Swan River, Jeremy was diagnosed with a hereditary disorder as an infant.
“The first-born boy in our family is handicapped, for all my sisters, everybody. He has this condition,” said Kim.
The Stephen family was told not long after he was born that their new baby would never be able to walk.
“My mom and I were determined to show doctors in Winnipeg that, in fact, he would,” said Kim.
Over the next nine months, Jeremy did learn how to walk, learning with two broom sticks mounted between two chairs, similar to a physical therapist’s railings.
“My mom and I never gave up on him. No matter how many times he fell down or had bruises, we never gave up.”
Not only has Jeremy beat the doctor’s original expectations, he has eked out a spot within Manitoba’s athletic landscape.
Twenty years ago, Stephen began participating in Special Olympics events. Bowling is not the only sport he participates in – there’s a long list. Stephen has taken part in Special Olympics baseball, floor hockey, track and field and bocce events.
In fact, Stephen doesn’t just take part – he’s a podium threat.
“He went to provincial track and field last weekend and he won a gold and a silver medal there,” said Kim.
Stephen said the support Jeremy received from Snow Lake residents helped get the family to the big stage.
“The community here was absolutely amazing. Anything we would have needed to have done for Jeremy would have been done. From the people themselves, the support as next to none. It was amazing,” Kim said.
