Andrew Acomb

With the sound of a gun shot, the 800 meter walk started at the Special Olympics New York Summer Games. After the first lap around the track, a leader started to pull away from the pack. People started to gather around the edge of the track to cheer him on. “C’mon Leonard! You can do it! C’mon!” I positioned myself at the start of the last turn so I could get some photos as he came towards me. As he got closer I could hear him talking out loud, telling himself “C’mon Leonard! C’mon Leonard!!!” His words were filled with a passion many could never understand. Each step he took, he lengthened his lead. He was a winner in more ways than one. I will never forget Leonard or the lesson he taught me.