LAKEPORT — Eric Saderlund joined his Northern California golf teammates on a Cessna corporate flying out of Oakland International Airport on Friday, bound for Ames, Iowa and the first-ever Special Olympics USA National Games.
As the only local entry, the physically challenged 23-year-old represents a watershed moment for the local program and for his parents, Robert “Bob” and Cathy Saderlund, who, as much as anyone else, have kept the local Special Olympics alive for the part five years. Eric carries the hopes for the entirety of Lake County in the massive event in which overall 3,500 athletes are expected to compete.
But when you think about it, Eric is already a winner just for showing up. A big-time winner in the eyes Bob and Cathy, who have seen their son undergo three open-heart surgeries, the first when he was only 5 weeks old and weighed less than 6 pounds. Two trim people to whom athletics obviously mean a lot, they”ve seen him play his sport despite epileptic-like seizures and hands that are twisted into a permanent palms-up position, making it necessary for Eric to develop an unorthodox grip.
They”ve watched his precious life-preserving heart medication make him stone deaf.
“What you see today is the result of keeping him alive; the medication caused the deafness,” Cathy says of her son.
And they”ve ignored the surgeons who told them Eric wouldn”t live to be 10 years old.
“We said, ?That is not acceptable,”” says Bob. “Nowadays; when a doctor comes in, I tell Eric, ?Don”t listen to doctors.” This is what you do with doctors. Just tell them forget it, we”re not doing it.” It”s my own slick little way of telling him we”re going to beat this thing, we”re going to make it.”
Bob and Cathy Saderlund are far more than parents. They”re the guardians and the guts of the Special Olympics program in Lake County, which is overseen by a core group of eight people, which Cathy Saderlund says isn”t nearly enough.
Recalling hers and Bob”s entry into the program, she says, “Eric was it for us initially but Eric doesn”t participate in all the sports; only a couple. So, we went ahead and did as many as we could depending on the athletes” interest.”
Originally, when the Saderlunds first got involved five years ago, Special Olympics sports in Lake County were limited to track and field and bowling.
What”s in it for the athletes?
“They”re getting the physical activity. They”re getting the social activity. They”re getting interaction in the community,” says Cathy. “They get to travel to places they might never have been able to go and they get a sense of accomplishment, because — doesn”t matter if they get a gold, silver or bronze medal, or a ribbon — they”re all winners.”
… And the parents?
“When the parents come in they”re detached, they don”t interact with people,” says Cathy. “They”re concerned. They don”t know if they can leave their children to go with the ebb and flow of the sport. But after three or four practices, I”ve heard the athletes saying, ?Bye.” They want the parents to leave.”
Locally, the program has had sponsorship from Rob Roy Golf Course, where Eric tunes his game, and the Iron Worker Gym. Fund raising provides the money for training and competition. But Cessna, which is transporting all the athletes to the meet, and other corporations are picking up the national tab. Bob says a Cessna jet will land at the Des Moines, Iowa airport every 90 seconds for a period of 24 hours on July 1 (today).
Eric and Bob will compete as a son-father alternate shots team at Ames. It will be no simple matter.
“Eric is a real challenge, because his palms are turned up and he has to swing in a specific style,” says Bob. “After that it”s like any other athlete in any other sport. You just keep on doing the same drill. Repeating it, repeating it, repeating it.”
Well, almost like any other athlete.
Eric might have a seizure on the course. Bob will try to head it off by giving him plenty of water beforehand. If that doesn”t work, says Bob, the seizure “will wipe him out for 30 or 40 minutes and then, bang!, he”s up and ready to go again.
“He doesn”t care about the heat or weather or anything else. He just wants to golf.”
You can volunteer to assist in the Lake County Special Olympics program by calling Cathy Saderlund at 262-1258.
Contact John Lindblom at jlwordsmith@mchsi.com.
