Bobby Lord Update

It's really easy for us to dehumanize the athletes we watch on TV. Their extraordinary level of play, their bank accounts, their jet set lifestyle are all factors that help us forget that sports stars are regular people. For me, the most memorable moment of Tiger Woods' career wasn't a fist pump or a chip-in, but the emotional hug he gave Steve Williams after winning the first major after the loss of his father. Because you know what? We've all been on the giving or recieving end of that hug.

We were reminded again when Ernie Els announced that his five-year-old son Ben has autism.

The news made my think back to one of my favorite stories of 2007: Special Olympian Bobby Lord. We profiled Bobby in our May 2007 edition. Bobby worked at the driving range at Magnolia Creek. As far as I know he still does. But what the golfers aiming 7-irons at the ball-picker didn't know was that the driver, Bobby, could deadlift 600 pounds. That's right, Bobby is the best Special Olympian power-lifter in the country. When I talked to Bobby and his parents way back in April, Magnolia Creek had just hosted a golf-a-thon to raise money for a trip to Shanghai to compete in the Special Olympics World Championships in October. I know I'm a little late with the update, but nonetheless I'm happy to report that Bobby captured two golds and one silver while competing in the highest level of power-lifting. Bobby also loves playing golf as much as he does lifting.

I wish everyone could have a chance to meet and talk to people like Margie, Robert and Bobby. They really opened my eyes to some misconceptions about autism.

"(Most people) think that autism is a severe mental handicap when in fact it is a perceptional disorder that does not in any way limit their motor skills or ability to perform sports," Margie told me. "In some ways it enhances their ability to play sports because of their tenacity. They're never going to quit. When everyone else is leaving the golf course or putting green, they're still going to be there."