Eight-year-old Rodenson has just what it takes to catch the eye of amateur sports officials. With a little luck, he might even have the right stuff to own a podium one day. He certainly has the personal drama and dream to fascinate a fan base. But he's already paid a heavy price to be a hero – his recently amputated foot means his athletic goals would have to be redirected to the Paralympics.
The Paralympics are the elite sporting event for athletes with disabilities, and they follow in the huge shadow of the Olympics. The athletes' stories of challenge, perseverance and skill are stunning, but it's a reality that many couch jockeys prefer to give their time to watching athletes of bodily perfection. When the Winter Paralympics open in Vancouver today, the TV ratings will tell the tale. For Rodenson, the idea of disabled competition is one more wound to process.
Rodenson lost his foot because he returned to his crumbling house during the earthquake in Haiti. The prize he sought was his three-year-old sister, Muriel, who, in the mayhem, had been left behind in their two-storey middle-class home, while mom and three other siblings escaped. Rodenson grabbed Muriel just as the front portion of the house caved in; Muriel scooted out, but Rodenson was trapped in the rubble. It was three days before he could be taken to a hospital; by then, his foot was gangrenous and had to be removed.
Now he's facing the game of his life. His father, Rode, lost his job when the Port-au-Prince seaport was severely damaged. His mother, Carolene, is returning to her work as a beautician, and the family now lives in the back of a pickup truck. But Rode and Carolene understand a thing or two about helping their children get ahead, and so they've been grateful to discover a Canadian charity – Christian Blind Mission – that runs a daycare with Handicap International for children with disabilities. And it's here where Rodenson might get his break.
His mother has offered to let Rodenson be a “poster child” to move the hearts of Canadians. She gets the truth that no one will care to stop the pain of Haiti unless they feel the pain.
The Canadian government is allocating $555-million over the next five years toward rebuilding Haiti. Individual Canadians have donated more than $100-million to charities to help Haiti, and the government has been matching that in its own Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. If we keep our eye on the Haitian game, it should bode well for Haitian families such as Rodenson's.
Watching ringside to see aid dollars work and measuring goals and accountability are at least as exciting as professional sports. This is a game with extreme edge and life-and-death stakes.
Each week in Port-au-Prince, the charities gather at a closed-to-the-media “cluster meeting.” It's an important practice of disaster response to ensure co-operation and efficiency of aid relief, one that sends champions back to the field. The performance is high risk, even error prone; it defies obstacles and is thrilling when victory is achieved.
Lorna Dueck is executive producer of Listen Up TV.
