A Fragile Strength
In "Autistic Powerlifter's Quest," Rex W. Huppke of the Chicago Tribune does a fine job in maintaining dramatic tension to the very end of this moving narrative. The story follows Jamie Smith, 24, as he prepares to compete at the Special Olympics World Games in China. Because of his autism, Smith clings to daily routines to try to cope in a world where even the slightest change can overwhelm his senses. His mother tries to maintain order in his life – every day, she drives him home from work along the same circuitous route – but the trip to China will involve new experiences that could threaten his stability. Then, few days before the biggest competition of his life, a tragedy occurs and his future is thrown into doubt.
Here's a snippet:
Jamie walked onto the stage, sank his hands into a bowl of talcum powder then clapped them together. He seemed to like the dramatic effect of the thick puff of white dust.
He was competing against five other men in his weight class.
His first attempt was light, 140 pounds, but it was critical.
Just days before the competition, Mitch had unwittingly put more weight on the bar than Jamie could handle. When he wasn't able to lift it, Jamie became flustered.
He talked about it for a day or so, asking Mitch, "You're not going to put too much on the bar, right? I'm going to be able to lift it next time, right?"
During his first lift at the Illinois State Games in June, Jamie had lost his composure when the judges' lights turned out to be white instead of the familiar green. It ruined the rest of his performance. If he failed this first lift, a similar meltdown could follow.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/chi-autism-story,0,3030166,full.story