2007.04.04: April 4, 2007: Headlines: COS - Dominican Republic: Disabilities: Special Olympics: Safety: Swimming: Sports: The La Grande Observer: Laura Hancock turned to swimming as an outlet for exercise and therapy after losing her leg while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic
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2007.04.04: April 4, 2007: Headlines: COS - Dominican Republic: Disabilities: Special Olympics: Safety: Swimming: Sports: The La Grande Observer: Laura Hancock turned to swimming as an outlet for exercise and therapy after losing her leg while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic
Laura Hancock turned to swimming as an outlet for exercise and therapy after losing her leg while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic
She hoped to try out for the Olympic marathon trials, but she decided to join the Peace Corps. A last-minute change in her destination altered the course of her life forever. A desire to help others and a basic knowledge of nutrition found her serving in a remote and poverty-stricken region of the Dominican Republic. There she educated mothers how to help better nourish their children and taught English in the schools. She built latrines, gave classes on gardening and served as a nurse in the local clinic when needed, saving the lives of many children suffering from dehydration. As her two-year tour of duty came to a close, McNerney was in an accident. An 18-wheel semi struck the bus that she and a friend were riding on. Her friend was killed, and McNerney lost her left leg. Her dreams of competing in the Olympics shattered, McNerney said she was just lucky to survive. No longer able to run, she turned to swimming as an outlet for exercise and therapy. Two years and eight surgeries later, she competed in the Paralympics in Barcelona in 1992, placing fifth in the world in two events. When it came time for the Union County Special Olympics swim team to compete at the national meet in Tualatin last November, McNerney also shared in their success. Doug Trice, director of the program, presented her with an outstanding volunteer award. Her coaching experience not only changed her definition of the word "disability"; it gave her a profound respect for the Special Olympics.
Laura Hancock turned to swimming as an outlet for exercise and therapy after losing her leg while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic
FACING LIFE'S CHALLENGES HEAD ON
Published: April 4, 2007
In the water no one would know that Lee Ann McNerney has a disability.
When the assistant professor of education at Eastern Oregon University took up coaching for the Union County Special Olympics swimming program last fall, she had no idea what was going to happen.
What did happen was remarkable. Members of the swim team all faced a different type of disability, but what McNerney came to realize, as she saw the weekly improvements in their endurance, stroke and breathing skills, was that no one is disabled — including her. After years of struggling with her own grief, McNerney was finally able to let go of a stereotype she had carried around with her like a ball and chain for 16 years.
McNerney has been an athlete for most of her life. In college, running was her passion, and she competed at a national meet where she placed second team all-American, missing first team by just one-tenth of a second.
She hoped to try out for the Olympic marathon trials, but she decided to join the Peace Corps. A last-minute change in her destination altered the course of her life forever.
A desire to help others and a basic knowledge of nutrition found her serving in a remote and poverty-stricken region of the Dominican Republic. There she educated mothers how to help better nourish their children and taught English in the schools. She built latrines, gave classes on gardening and served as a nurse in the local clinic when needed, saving the lives of many children suffering from dehydration.
As her two-year tour of duty came to a close, McNerney was in an accident. An 18-wheel semi struck the bus that she and a friend were riding on. Her friend was killed, and McNerney lost her left leg.
Her dreams of competing in the Olympics shattered, McNerney said she was just lucky to survive. No longer able to run, she turned to swimming as an outlet for exercise and therapy. Two years and eight surgeries later, she competed in the Paralympics in Barcelona in 1992, placing fifth in the world in two events.
When it came time for the Union County Special Olympics swim team to compete at the national meet in Tualatin last November, McNerney also shared in their success. Doug Trice, director of the program, presented her with an outstanding volunteer award. Her coaching experience not only changed her definition of the word "disability"; it gave her a profound respect for the Special Olympics.
"Competing in the Special Olympics is just as important to these athletes as it was for me to compete in the Paralympics," she said. "It's almost like none of us really have a disability. Maybe there are challenges we each face, but I wouldn't label anyone disabled. And when you're in the water, everyone feels equal."
As committed to the team as she was, McNerney was sad when she saw the empty seats as many of the athletes' parents did not show up to watch them practice at the Veterans Memorial Pool. But soon smiles and laughter replaced all the sorrow.
"I believe the sadness I felt was from my own disability," she said. "Working with these athletes was almost like going through rehab for me. I benefited just as much as they did."
Seeing that a person can be successful and professional meant the world to the Special Olympics athletes, said Trice.
"They were impressed when they heard her story," Trice said. "When they saw her take off her prosthetic and get into the pool and swim, they believed that if she could do it, they could do it, too.
"She has been very helpful with the program, and the head coach was pleased Lee Ann was able to work one-on-one with the athletes," he added.
McNerney, who was a swimming instructor for 10 years before she joined the Peace Corps, swims every morning and may even compete again this summer. Being able to share her passion for the sport means the world to her, and she hopes to be able to help coach again next season for the Special Olympics program.
"It was nice to come back to teaching swimming because that's something I did when I had two legs," she said.
McNerney has a Ph.D. in sociolinguistics from Georgetown University and is originally from Woodburn. She coordinates the English for Speakers of Other Languages education program at EOU, where she has been a faculty member since 2002.
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Story Source: The La Grande Observer
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Dominican Republic; Disabilities; Special Olympics; Safety; Swimming; Sports
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