Smiles from ear to ear
To get the best indication of how much one of our racers enjoyed competing in a local 5K, look no further than their smile.
“From ear to ear,” said Diane Warner, as she described her son Matt’s joyful expression. “He had a ball!”
Matt, 21, raced twice in late 2014 with the RACIN! team: the Linda Yalem and St. Mary’s School for the Deaf 5Ks.
Matt was recruited to join in on the fun thanks to a connection he and his family have to RACIN! board member Judy Bremer.
After he raced once, he couldn’t wait to race again.
“The first race he was a little nervous to start,” Diane explained. “But once he got going, he loved it. It was awesome. He couldn’t wait for the second race.”
As Matt raced along, his family, friends, personal aide and more cheered loudly and proudly. His support system also lined the course with signs of encouragement for the West Seneca resident.
What made Matt’s participation so special to the Warner family was that he was among the general Western New York racing community.
Both Diane and her husband Jeff run in local races and Matt has come along at times to cheer them on.
When it was his turn to race, they couldn’t have been more delighted.
Best of all, in both races, Diane and Jeff helped push him across the finish line, allowing Matt to feel the same euphoria as every other racer on those days.
“He was just part of it,” Diane said, proudly. “It was exhilarating. It made him feel like he was flying.”
Even months after his two races, when someone asks him about the experience, all Matt can do is smile.