Grab a tissue....

[Guest guest]

and check out this story! Since Sam and pretty do nothing else

but wrestle each other, I now know what sport I need to get them enrolled

in!!

Judi-Mom to Sam & , 7 in 2 Weeks!, Identical twins

Wrestlers share magical moment

BY CRAIG SESKER

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN - Lincoln East Coach Marty McCurdy's wrestling room is loaded with

talent.

But one of McCurdy's wrestlers for the two-time defending Class A champion

Spartans never will

experience the thrill of stepping on the mat to compete in a state tournament.

East freshman Trevor Howe has Down syndrome, a genetic, chromosomal disorder.

The result is

mental retardation and an inability to develop motor skills fully.

Just doing a simple forward roll is difficult for the 15-year-old.

" Wrestling is a struggle for Trevor, " McCurdy said. " Trevor's condition makes

coordination

difficult at times, and it makes it difficult for him to use all of his

strength at the right

time. "

But last Saturday, Trevor was able to experience the thrill of a lifetime when

he stepped on

the mat and earned a victory.

All thanks to the generosity, class and compassion displayed by a selfless

17-year-old Kearney

High School senior who showed maturity and grace far beyond his years.

McCurdy had sent an e-mail to Kearney Coach Tom McCann and Assistant Coach

Dennis

asking if one of the Kearney wrestlers would compete against Trevor in a

junior varsity match

while agreeing not to pin him for two periods and promising not to hurt him.

Kearney's Teel, a backup 189-pounder for the Bearcats, agreed to

compete and provide

enough resistance to allow 5-foot-2, 180-pound Trevor to experience what a

competitive

six-minute match feels like.

Teel went one step further than anybody expected, allowing Trevor to win the

match. He allowed

Trevor to turn him to his back with a half-nelson hold and record a

third-period pin.

" That was really fun, " Trevor said.

McCurdy said he was " real surprised " Teel allowed Trevor to win the match,

which came during a

triangular at Lincoln East with Kearney and Millard North.

" We just wanted to let Trevor experience wrestling in a competitive

match, " McCurdy

said. " Their coaches didn't tell he had to lose, but that was very

neat what he did. "

Kearney and Lincoln East fans stood and cheered both wrestlers after the

match.

" In my mind, is a true champion in the hearts of the East High

wrestling family, "

McCurdy said. " He is a tribute to the excellent coaches at Kearney. He gave

the sport of

wrestling a victory. "

McCann, in his 37th season of coaching, said it was a memorable experience.

" I got a little teary-eyed, " said McCann, whose team is ranked No. 2 behind

East. " It was

worth it to see that young man jump up and down and hug his coach and hug his

dad. The whole

place went crazy. I have had so many great experiences as a coach, but I have

never seen

anything like this. "

When McCurdy made his request to the Kearney coaches to find an opponent for

his wrestler,

, a longtime Bearcat assistant, went to work.

" I thought, wow, this is going to take a special kid to do this, " said.

" We wanted to

give the kid a match to remember. I told we were not going to pin the

kid. I think

during the course of the match decided to let the kid pin him. I told

I bet he

never thought he would get a standing ovation for getting pinned. That was a

once-in-a-lifetime moment. "

McCurdy alerted referee Bob Meeker of Omaha as to what was transpiring before

the match.

Teel said he couldn't bring himself to win the match.

" He was really working - he was trying so hard, " Teel said. " I was supposed to

win on points

in the third period, but I didn't think it would be right for me to beat him.

It ended up

being better this way anyway. "

Teel, who also won a match on Saturday, said he " had no idea " he would receive

so much

recognition for what he did.

" It has been awesome, " Teel said. " The fans gave both of us a standing

ovation, and I think

everyone in the gym came up and shook my hand after the match. It was pretty

neat. I was just

glad I could help out. "

The victory was just an added bonus for Trevor.

" I am not sure Trevor understood he won at first, " said McCurdy, wife of

the East coach.

" He had so much fun, I don't think he really cared if he won or lost. "

Among those applauding were Trevor's parents, Dr. Howe and his wife,

Laurie, who were

attending their first wrestling meet. is a Lincoln urologist.

They thanked Teel after the match.

" What did was the ultimate show of sportsmanship and humility, " Laurie

said. " To have

the referee raise Trevor's arm, have the crowd cheering and have his teammates

cheering, that

was a very emotional moment. It was really touching. We were so proud. "

Trevor was not told of the coaches' agreement.

" Trevor legitimately in his mind won that match, " Laurie said. " He still

doesn't realize what

really happened. He was just so proud he could win a match for his team. That

was a huge

thrill for him. It turned out to be a wonderful moment. It was magical. "

The Howes have four children. Only Trevor, their second-oldest child, was born

with a birth

defect.

Older sister , 17, is a senior at Lincoln Pius X. His younger sister,

, 12, is a

seventh-grader. His brother, Bryce, 11, is in fifth grade. is involved

in music.

competes in basketball, soccer and swimming. Bryce plays tennis.

" Trevor is very, very supportive of his siblings, " Laurie said. " He is the No.

1 cheerleader

for them at whatever activity they do. That's why this was so great for him.

He finally got a

chance to compete, and his siblings really supported him. "

Said Trevor: " My brother was like 'Go Trevor' after I won. "

Trevor is a first-year wrestler. He had an interesting reaction when he tried

on his singlet

before his match.

" I looked like a dork, " Trevor said.

He lifted weights with Coach McCurdy during the fall to prepare for the

season. He also had a

number of one-on-one wrestling sessions with his coach.

" Trevor loves sports, " Laurie said. " We were looking for something he could be

involved in. We

have known Coach McCurdy for a number of years. He extended an invitation and

said he would

love to work with Trevor. Marty's been great. "

Trevor attends a regular physical education class in school, but he has to

attend

special-needs courses in reading and math. His mother said he reads at a

first-grade level.

Howe said members of the Lincoln East team make it a point to include

Trevor when the

team gets together off the mat.

" It's unbelievable how those kids treat Trevor, " said. " Those guys have

done a

tremendous amount for Trevor. His whole self-esteem has just gone way up. He

is walking a lot

taller now. "

Contact the Omaha World-Herald newsroom

---------- End of Story ----------

Judi Grossman

Contracting Officer (7PMA)

Program Support Division

- Phone

- Fax

judi.grossman@...

[Guest guest]

Hey Judi!!! thanks for the great story and of course I cried about two thirds of the way through.

I hope you and your family have a beautiful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!!!

Sherrill