With an unimposing walk, Luca Patuelli made his way to the center of the BC Center in Vancouver, Canada. He was on the world’s stage. He was one of many helping entertain thousands. It’s the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Paralympic Games.
At first, just thought he was another entertainer. Then I looked him up. He looked familiar. Through a little digging, I found out that he was on America’s Got Talent, although not winning the big event. Yet there was more. It’s like we shared something in common.
A little more digging and I found his biography. This amazing athlete was born with arthrogryposis, the same disability that I was born with.
Arthrogryposis is a muscle and joint disorder. It’s affect on joints can be a stiffening and weaken muscles. Arthrogryposis occurs in approximately 1 out of every 3,000 live births.
If you didn’t get to see the opening ceremonies live, you can see it on: paralympicsport.tv. You can also catch many of the events, video on demand, on this website as well after they happen. Unfortunately, not a lot of media coverage live for the Paralympics. My personal thought is that the media doesn’t know people will watch. But many shows and events over time were thought not to capture an audience, yet after airing, did. Touched By An Angel was first said to be too goodie goodie. Yet it went on for 9 seasons and awesome ratings.
What networks and the Olympic committee themselves needs to be forward thinking that when you broadcast it and keep it as part of the Olympics instead of just parallel to them, people will watch. People love to see the spirit and skills of all athletes. After all, the Paralympics is not about disabilities, it is about their abilities.
In the words of Rick Hansen during the opening ceremonies, ”I didn’t need to be cured to be whole as a human being.”
