1、一位特殊的運動員一位特殊的運動員WefoundoutthatJennyhadbadhearingwhenshewasfourandahalfyears old.Severalsurgerieslater,whenshewasseven,wefoundoutthatJen nyhadjuvenilerheumatoidarthritis.珍妮四歲半時，我們發(fā)現(xiàn)她有聽力障礙。幾次外科手術(shù)之后，在她七歲那年，我們發(fā)現(xiàn)她還患有幼年型類風濕性關(guān)節(jié)炎。Shecouldnotputpressureontheheelsofherfeet,soshewalkedontipt oe,andwhenthepainb

2、ecameunbearable,Icarriedher.Jennywasfortu nate,though,becauseshedidnotsufferthedeformities,oftenassoc iatedwithJRA.她的腳后跟不能受力，于是她就踮著腳尖走路，疼得難以忍受時，就由我背著她走。不過，珍妮是幸運的，因為幼年型類風濕性 關(guān)節(jié)炎通常會并發(fā)身體畸形，但這種癥狀并沒有出現(xiàn)在她身上。Allthroughprimaryschoolandonintohighschool,Jennysuffered,ye tnevercomplained.Whenthepaincame,shetook

3、hermedicine,andIwou ldoftenwrapherfeetinsteamingtowelsandholdheruntilthepaineas ed.But,assoonasshecouldwithstandthepain,Jennyimmediatelycar riedon,asthoughshewerepainfree.從小學一直到高中，珍妮飽受病痛的折磨，但卻從未抱怨過。疼的時候，她就吃藥，每每這時我就會用熱毛巾裹住她的雙腳，抱著她，直到她疼痛有所緩解。但是，只要珍妮覺得疼痛可以忍受了，她就會立刻繼續(xù)她之前做的事情，好像一點兒也不疼似的。Sheworeasmileonhe

4、rface,asongonherlips,andaloveandacceptance ofothers.Thatwassimplyamazing.Idon trememberherevervoicingself-pity.Sheranwhenshecouldrun.Shep layedwhenshecouldplay,andshedancedwhenshecoulddance.Andwhen shecoulddononeofthesethings,shetookhermedicine,andshewaited untilshecould.她那時總是面帶微笑，嘴里哼著歌兒，用愛和包容對待他人。這

5、簡直太不可思議了。我印象里從未聽到過她自怨自艾。能跑的時候她就跑，能玩的時候她就玩，能跳舞的時候她就跳舞。這些都不能做的時候，她就吃藥，然后一直等到她又能接著做這些事兒。Jenny,abeautifulblonde,withwarmbrowneyes,wasneveracheerlead er.Shenevercompetedinasport.Shecouldnoteventakepartinagymcl ass.Shetookthesamesubstitutehealthclassfouryearsinarow,just soshecouldpasswithitscrediteachyear

6、.Shejoinedtheband.Shewon aplaceinTheGovernor sSchoolfortheArts;yet,nooneintheCharleston,SouthCarolinaSch oolSystemknewwhattodowithJenny.Therulesweresimplynotinplacetodealwithastudentwhowasbothactiveandhandicapped.珍妮是一個漂亮的金發(fā)女孩，有一雙令人感到溫暖的棕色眼眸，她從未加入過拉拉隊。她從未參加過體育比賽，她甚至不能上體育課。 她連續(xù)四年都選修同一門替代課健康課， 有了這門課的學分

7、，她每年就能達到學分要求。她加入了樂隊，還成功考入了州長藝術(shù)學校， 但是， 南卡羅來納州查爾斯頓地區(qū)學校體系內(nèi)沒有一個人知道應(yīng)該拿珍妮怎么辦。現(xiàn)有的規(guī)章制度根本就不適用于這樣一個雖然身體殘疾但卻積極活躍的學生。Jennycontinuedtohaveonesurgeryafteranotheronherears,allthroughschool.Herhearingimprovedto60%andshetaughtherselftoreadlips.Shecarriedapillowtoschool,allthroughhighschool.Once,whenshesuddenlyexperi

8、encedseriouspain,herfriendsliftedherupand carriedherfromclasstoclass.上學期間，珍妮又相繼做了幾次耳部手術(shù)。她的聽力提高到了 60%，她還自學了讀唇語。整個高中時期，她都帶著一個靠墊去學 校。有一次，她突然感到劇痛不已，她的朋友們就把她抱起來，帶著 她去上每堂課。Shewastotallypopularandfunny,attendingeveryfootballgame,che eringtheteamon,carryingherpilloweverywhereshewent,sothatshe couldeasethepa

9、inwhenshesatdown.Thencamehersenioryear.Shewou ldbeconsideredforscholarships;however,schoolactivities,espe ciallysports,couldoftenmeanthedifferencebetweenreceivingana wardandlosingout.SoJennycametoadecision;andinherstrange,non traditionalmanner,shebegantobombardthehighschoolfootballcoa ch.Shebegged.S

10、hepleaded.Shepromised.Shegotherbestfriendtosignupwithher.Finallythecoachgavein,withthewarning, “ Ifyoumissonegame,you reout! ”SoJennybecameoneoftheGarrettHighSchoolFootballTeam.她很受歡迎也很幽默，她去看每一場橄欖球賽，到場給校隊加油， 無論走到哪兒都帶著她的靠墊，這樣她坐下來的時候能緩解一下疼痛。 之后就到了高中最后一年，她想被納入授予獎學金的考慮范圍，但是參加學?；顒?，尤其是體育活動，往往意味著是獲得獎學金還是被淘汰

11、出局。因此珍妮做了一個決定。她用她那種古怪、另類的方式開始對校橄欖球隊教練展開連續(xù)攻勢。她苦苦哀求，她以情動人，她再三保證。她還讓她最好的朋友同她一起報名。最終， 教練讓步了，但告誡她說： “如果你有一場比賽沒到，你就走人 ! ”就這樣，珍妮成了加勒特高中橄欖球隊的一員。Shecarriedbigbucketsofwatertoherteammates.Shebandagedkneesa ndanklesbeforeeverygame.Shemassagednecksandbacks.Shegavepep talks.Shewascontinuallyattheirbeckandcall,an

12、ditturnedouttob eoneofthebestyearsforGarrettHighSchoolFootballTeam,initstwe nty-fiveyearhistory.OftenJennycouldbeseencarryingabucketofw aterineachhand,nearlydraggingthem,alongwithherpillowtuckedu nderherarm.她為隊友們提桶裝水，每場比賽前都為他們包裹膝蓋和腳踝，為他們按摩脖子和后背，為他們打氣鼓勁。她總是隨叫隨到。結(jié)果證明，那一年是加勒特高中橄欖球隊成立25 年來成績最好的一年。同學們經(jīng)常能

13、看見珍妮兩只手各提著一桶水，幾乎是拖著水桶往前走，胳膊下面還夾著她的靠墊。Whenaskedwhyhethoughtthattheteamwaswinningalltheirgames,eve ninthefaceofinjury,onelinebackerexplained,inhissoft,Charles tonway, “ Well,whenyou vebeenknockeddown,andyoucantseemtomove,youlookupandseeJennyLewis,limpingacrossthefield ,draggingherbucketsandcarryingher

14、pillow.Itmakesanythingtherestofusmaysufferseemprettyinsignificant. ”當被問及為什么即使面對傷病，球隊還能所向披靡、打贏所有比賽時，一位線衛(wèi)球員用查爾斯頓人特有的那種慢吞吞的拉長聲調(diào)的方式，溫和地說道： “是這樣的，當你被撞倒，似乎不能動彈時，你抬頭看見珍妮·劉易斯一瘸一拐地走過球場，拖著她的水桶，夾著她的靠墊。相比之下，我們所遭受的任何痛苦都顯得那么微不足道?！盇ttheSeniorAwardsCeremony,JennyreceivedanumberofscholarshipstoCollegeofCharleston.Herfavoritescholarship,however,wasasmallonefromtheCharlestonWomen sClub.ThePresidentoftheWomen sClublistedJenny saccomplishments,startingwithhergradesandendingwithanexcitedvoice,“ .an