1990 Yes I Can Award Recipient
[I] wanted to let you know about Jason L Nelson from Beatrice, Nebraska who won a 1990 Yes I Can Award in the category of "athletics" in Toronto at the expo and also was recognized with certificates from U.S. President George H. w. Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulaney.
Jason was a wrestler whom I coached in high school. He was born with crippled legs and underwent 19 surgeries on his legs. He used crutches, but by high school learned to walk with just a cane. Walking was quite arduous for him. Prior to his wrestling matches, he'd hand his cane to us coaches and crawl out to the center of the mat to start the match. For 3 years he got pinned every match he wrestled. By his senior year, he went a full 6-minute match 5 times, nearly winning one of those matches. He was an inspiration to our team. He refused to take short cuts and did everything asked of all of our wrestlers. He earned a varsity letter in wrestling as a senior. It was not uncommon for him to receive standing ovations at tournaments by the entire crowd – moved me to tears more than once and I'm a pretty tough guy. He was known in our area as the wrestler with the big smile.
Today 30+ years later, he is married and a wonderful Father to his children and a good provider. He achieved a post high school degree in metal machining and is a very gifted computerized metal lathe fabricator with a lot of experience with metal fabrication and design. He is extremely well-respected by his peers and never has viewed himself as disabled, despite his physical shortcomings. Toronto was his first experience overcoming his fear of escalators at the world's largest indoor shopping mall.
I want you to know that the award ceremony he attended in Toronto in 1990 had a profound effect on him. He never has made or accepted excuses and always maintains a very positive attitude. I coached a lot of champion wrestlers, but I am especially grateful to have been given the opportunity to coach Jason. His personality, drive, and attitude towards any obstacles we all face in life has lifted all of us who know him, love him, and respect him.
The "Yes I Can Award" was the only recognition he ever received for his dedication and sacrifice. I don't know if you've had winners before or since Jason in the category of "athletics."
He is one of the beautiful stories of your organization's history. Thank you for recognizing him so many years ago -- it changed the course of his life, gave him great confidence as a "Yes I Can" young man.
By: Dan Oliverius
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