{"id":3690,"date":"2013-05-24T10:00:41","date_gmt":"2013-05-24T15:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/?p=3690"},"modified":"2013-05-24T15:37:36","modified_gmt":"2013-05-24T20:37:36","slug":"voices-of-the-voiceless-pro-athletes-adopt-man-with-disability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/2013\/voices-of-the-voiceless-pro-athletes-adopt-man-with-disability\/","title":{"rendered":"Voices of the Voiceless: Pro athletes \u2018adopt\u2019 man with disability"},"content":{"rendered":"<style><!--\n\/* Font Definitions *\/\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:\"\uff2d\uff33 \u660e\u671d\";\n\tmso-font-charset:78;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:\"Cambria Math\";\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Cambria;\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}\n \/* Style Definitions *\/\np.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal\n\t{mso-style-unhide:no;\n\tmso-style-qformat:yes;\n\tmso-style-parent:\"\";\n\tmargin:0cm;\n\tmargin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:12.0pt;\n\tfont-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:\"\uff2d\uff33 \u660e\u671d\";\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\";\n\tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}\n.MsoChpDefault\n\t{mso-style-type:export-only;\n\tmso-default-props:yes;\n\tfont-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:\"\uff2d\uff33 \u660e\u671d\";\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\";\n\tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}\n@page WordSection1\n\t{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;\n\tmargin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;\n\tmso-header-margin:36.0pt;\n\tmso-footer-margin:36.0pt;\n\tmso-paper-source:0;}\ndiv.WordSection1\n\t{page:WordSection1;}\n--><\/style>\n<style><!--\n\/* Font Definitions *\/\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:\"\uff2d\uff33 \u660e\u671d\";\n\tmso-font-charset:78;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:\"Cambria Math\";\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Cambria;\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}\n \/* Style Definitions *\/\np.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal\n\t{mso-style-unhide:no;\n\tmso-style-qformat:yes;\n\tmso-style-parent:\"\";\n\tmargin:0cm;\n\tmargin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:12.0pt;\n\tfont-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:\"\uff2d\uff33 \u660e\u671d\";\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\";\n\tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}\n.MsoChpDefault\n\t{mso-style-type:export-only;\n\tmso-default-props:yes;\n\tfont-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:\"\uff2d\uff33 \u660e\u671d\";\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\";\n\tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}\n@page WordSection1\n\t{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;\n\tmargin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;\n\tmso-header-margin:36.0pt;\n\tmso-footer-margin:36.0pt;\n\tmso-paper-source:0;}\ndiv.WordSection1\n\t{page:WordSection1;}\n--><\/style>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">By Julia Sisler<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">On any given summer day, you will find 22-year-old David Leitch on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers practice field, receiving passes from quarterbacks, joking with coaches or giving interviews to local media. His name is not on the roster but he has a unique place in the heart of the Canadian Football League team.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">Leitch was born with spina bifida. It means his spinal cord did not form properly before he was born, and he will always use a wheelchair. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">A string of surgeries began at birth, but his battles were more than physical.\u00a0He doesn\u2019t know who his father is, his mother wrote him off as \u201cuseless\u201d because of his disorder, and he suffered extreme physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his grandmother, who was given custody of him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">\u201cI was made to feel like it was my fault for being in a chair,\u201d Leitch says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">He recalls school as a happy place compared to his home life. He remembers only one negative school experience, where he was told by a stranger:\u00a0\u201cPeople like you shouldn\u2019t go to school.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">It was during one afternoon of boredom and curiosity in 2009 that his life opened up in a wonderful way.\u00a0 He visited an open Bombers practice. After meeting a Bomber coach, Richard Harris, Leitch knew the stadium would provide him safe sanctuary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">Leitch\u2019s relationship with the Bombers community grew with his frequent visits to the field. He rode the bus from his home in North Kildonan to the stadium for every practice and game. It was a place where he found love, acceptance, and growth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">With the Bombers on his side, Leitch finds he cares less about society\u2019s perception of him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">\u201cPeople are pretty good to me. You get the odd guy who might have something negative to say, but generally people are nice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">He notes relationships with three men in particular: Bombers chaplain Lorne Korol, former quarterback Alex Brink, and wide receiver Aaron Hargreaves, who now plays for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">Hargreaves describes how Leitch served as a constant sideline reminder of what life is really about.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">\u201cDuring my time in Winnipeg, having David show up to practice day in and day out, shows true character and dedication on his part.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">\u201cAlthough I no longer play in Winnipeg, David still serves as a source of inspiration for me. His constant determination and hard work in life serves as a great example of how to be not only a better football player, but a better person.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">The impact that Leitch has on the Blue Bombers became evident in spring of 2012. He was diagnosed with pneumonia during training camp and doctors said it might be fatal. During this critical time, the Bombers stepped up for Leitch. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">Bombers staff members, coaches, and players were at his bedside repeatedly during his three-week hospital stay. Some shed tears at the thought of losing one of their own.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">To the relief of his Bombers friends, Leitch pulled through and made a full recovery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">Leitch\u2019s attitude toward life has changed, thanks to the guys in blue and gold. He credits the Bombers with giving him something to live for\u2014for giving him a place and a purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">Although you will never find the name \u201cDavid Leitch\u201d on any program, he has an important position with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman';\">Julia Sisler is a student<\/span><\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"> at Canadian Mennonite University. She wrote this article as part of her work in the course Journalism\u2014Principles and Practices. &#8220;Voices of the Voiceless&#8221; is a class project that aims to chronicle the humanity of often-ignored people on the margins of our community.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Julia Sisler On any given summer day, you will find 22-year-old David Leitch on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers practice field, receiving passes from quarterbacks, joking with coaches or giving interviews to local media. His name is not on the roster but he has a unique place in the heart of the Canadian Football League [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[156,376],"tags":[406,411,404,409,84,403,410],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3690"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3690"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3690\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3736,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3690\/revisions\/3736"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}