TOPSHAM

In many ways, Rusty Wilkins is no different from your average teenage high school student. He likes to socialize, hang out, eat pizza and watch sports.

But Rusty is different in one way. He was born with cerebral palsy. He is confined to a wheelchair and can not talk. Yet he is an effective communicator. He uses his joy stick attached to his wheelchair to control his mouse and a clicker in his head rest to make selections on his laptop.

Despite his physical limitations, Rusty has never let these inconveniences interfere with his enjoyment of life. As his cousin James Anderson says, “Rusty has the soul of an athlete.”

Rusty loves sports. As a die-hard New England sports fan, everyone in his house can tell when Big Papi hits a home run or Tom Brady throws a touchdown pass based on Rusty’s reaction from the living room. He also enjoys the Boston Bruins and is a big Boston College fan.

Rusty is very active in the Mt. Ararat sports scene. Last spring he served as the baseball team’s manager and has been present as the spring season has begun. Rusty absolutely loves traveling with the team, the locker room camaraderie and the spirit of competition.

According to Eagles varsity baseball coach Bob Neron, “Rusty is part of the team. He does everything that all the other guys do. The guys include him in everything.”

Last fall he was the field hockey team’s biggest fan and he hopes to become their manager next fall. He just completed serving as the boys basketball team’s manager (along with Caitlin Witwicki, Magan Thomas- Copland, and Liam Huston). Rusty has earned the respect and admiration from his teammates through his steady support during practices, games and in the hallways in school.

As much as Rusty loves the Mt. Ararat experience, former athletic director Todd Sampson believes Rusty has done more for Mt. Ararat athletics than Mt. Ararat athletics has done for Rusty.

“These kids are good athletes and they never have really faced any difficulty with physical activity. They see Rusty and they realize how much he has to overcome every day. They are inspired by his upbeat attitude,” said Sampson.

James recently graduated from the University of New Hampshire where he was a four-year track distance runner and cross country star. During those four years, Rusty would work on his interactive computer skills by tracking his cousin James’s racing results. While at UNH, James read about Team Hoyt, a father/son duo who began racing in 1977 when Rick Hoyt, who has CP, asked his dad, Dick, to participate in a five-mile benefit run. Far from being a long-distance runner, Dick agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair and they finished all five miles, coming in next to last.

That night, Rick told his father, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” Since then they have participated in more than 1,000 races, including several Iron Man competitions and raised tens of thousands of dollars for charities.

The story inspired James and he called Rusty’s mom, Joelle, to see if Rusty would be interested in racing with him. Joelle replied, “I don’t need to ask him. I know he’ll be thrilled.” And he was.

The two decided to try racing together. After experiencing the joy it brought to both of them, a team formed.

In past races, James and Rusty have borrowed a racing chair from Team Hoyt New England. Last fall, James and Rusty completed the Keene Marathon in just under four hours. This accomplishment is all the more amazing because they had no wheelchair to train in.

This past winter, Rusty and James set up a Crowdrise page through Ainsley’s Angels of America. Together they raised more than $8,000 to purchase a custom-fit racing wheelchair for Rusty. The Mt. Ararat student body raised more than $1,000 towards this effort through the raffling of a Shy Ulrickson bobble head doll. Basketball head coach Steve Cox coordinated the donation of an additional $300 from the basketball team, and the sports boosters handed the cash over to Rusty in a ceremony during Senior Night festivities that inspired a standing ovation.

Cox says the games don’t begin until Rusty joins the huddle. Assistant basketball coach Gerry Caron, who has developed a special rapport with Rusty says, “I watch Rusty during the course of the game and he is the happiest guy in the arena.”

Rusty, who was born in Washington state, moved to Topsham three year ago from upstate New York. His mom and dad were both in the military and frequently moved. His dad served three tours in Iraq. He is now retired, and he and Rusty’s mom, who is a special needs teacher at Woodside Elementary, are involved in raising Rusty and his three siblings — a twin brother John, sister Annie and the youngest brother Mack.

This spring and summer, Rusty plans to race in several races, including the Maine Midcoast Marathon. He is also hoping to organize and race in a couple of shorter local races this year to show appreciation for all the local support he received for his racing wheelchair.

His long term goal is to continue the work of the Hoyt Foundation, become a professional fundraiser and to turn his disability into charitable assets for others.