Word of Encouragement

Years ago, there was a very famous commercial that featured Michael Jordan drinking a Gatorade and encouraging us to “Be Like Mike!”

As a lifelong Chicago Bulls fan, I loved those commercials. But truth be told, I knew that when it came to playing basketball, I was never going to be like the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) regardless of how much Gatorade I drank.

That said, periodically we hear stories or witness events that inspire us and remind us that on certain occasions, the sky is the limit. For example, recently someone sent me a video that featured Jason McElwain— better known as J-Mac to his friends.

That name may not ring a bell for you. Jason is a high functioning autistic individual with a passion for sports. In 2005, since he didn’t make his high school’s varsity basketball team, he became the team manager. And his spirit, enthusiasm, and passion for the sport endeared him to his friends and teammates.

During his senior year, the coach decided to reward J-Mac for his dedication by putting him in during the team’s final game. Now, I know you are extremely busy and have a million things on your plate, but do yourself a favor and watch this video because you’re going to love watching the look on face on J-Mac’s face as he enters the game and what happened after that.

When he entered with four minutes left in the game, J-Mac drained several three-point shots and ended up as the high scorer with 20 points. As the buzzer sounded, his teammates and fans stormed the court and hoisted him on their shoulders. In an interview recounting the game, he said with confidence and a big smile: “I was hot as a pistol!”

Maybe this is why this video went viral, and I do I mean seriously viral. The J-Mac Fan Club included Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, George Bush, and many other celebrities. J-Mac also served as an inspiration to other individuals who at first glance are seen as “different.”

But that is not the end of his story. In doing a little bit of research, I found out about other individuals who were inspired by Jason—individuals like Josh Titus and Patrick Thibodeau.

Josh is also autistic, and Patrick has Downs Syndrome. Like J-Mac, they became managers on their varsity basketball teams, endeared themselves to the members of the team, and were rewarded for their commitment when their coaches gave them an opportunity to play. Like J-Mac they also managed to score and were engulfed by their teammates after the game was over.

These stories really resonated with me because as a past board member of Giant Steps, a school here in the Chicago area that is renowned for its work with autistic individuals, I’ve met wonderful people who are similar to J-Mac, Josh, and Patrick. Watching the videos and listening to the parents and friends of J-Mac, Josh and Patrick affirmed the possibilities of what can happen when somebody has a little bit of inspiration.

And trust me, J-Mac is one inspired and passionate individual. He has run five marathons including the Boston Marathon, went on to become an assistant coach for the Athena Greece basketball team and also works in a bakery in Rochester, New York. In these crazy times, people like J-Mac, Josh, and Patrick also can help make us aware of doing a better job in accepting people— not just individuals with special needs, but also people who may see the world a bit differently than us.

As I listened to these kids and parents share the fact that, “We all have an opportunity to make a difference if we are willing to give people a chance— no matter who they are or what they are doing in life,” it made me ask myself: “Where do I have the power to give someone a chance?”

Perhaps that is why we are reminded in Galatians 6:9 to “not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” As J-Mac reminds us: “Anybody can do what they want. All it takes is one shot.”