Frozen Tears Of Joy

By John Darr

The ResCare WV - Lewisburg Agency is, by all accounts, in a rural setting. Lewisburg’s official webpage describes the town of 3,600 people as “nestled in the heart of the Greenbrier Valley.” Picturesque and quaint, but occasionally the town is thin on resources.

“We have been trying to get our folks involved in Special Olympics for the past year, which is difficult because their local chapter hasn’t been very active,” ResCare WV – Lewisburg Executive Director Christine Shaw said. “We want the people we serve to be active in Special Olympics - it focuses on what people can do, not what they can’t. It’s a positive way for us to promote good health and an active lifestyle.”

In an effort to get the people she served, and herself, more involved, Quality Employment Specialist Patsy Varner began attending Special Olympics meetings. Ms. Varner arranged for a representative of the organization to stop by a ResCare-run home to talk about how the residents could compete in the Winter Special Olympics. Jessica Messer, a woman with developmental disabilities who receives supports from ResCare, loved the idea of learning to ski and competing, but there was only one problem – no one on ResCare’s staff knew how to ski.

Gold medal winner Jessica Messer, who receives services through ResCare WV – Lewisburg Agency, and West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin at the awards ceremony for the West Virginia Winter Special Olympics.

“I have never been on skis a day in my life,” Ms. Varner said. “But I knew I could learn how to do it in order to train Jessica.”

Ms. Varner signed up for a class through Special Olympics on how to teach skiing. And with the generosity of several parties, Ms. Varner and Ms. Messer went to work.

“Patsy was willing to do whatever it took to make participating a possibility for Jessie.” Ms. Shaw said.

After measuring for ski and pole length, Kenny Bostic, ResCare Maintenance, went to work creating dry land skis for Ms. Messer to use for training until she was ready for the real thing.

With Mr. Bostic’s creations on her feet, she learned to walk, then practiced turning and going up hill. Once she was comfortable, Ms. Messer and Ms. Varner began training at Four Seasons, a local ski resort that provided the equipment and ski passes free of charge. Three days a week, they suited up and made their way to the mountain, learning how to ski together.

“Through this whole process and since the Olympics, I feel that Jessica and I built a more trusting, closer relationship,” Ms. Varner said.

Within a month, the two were training in Canaan Valley Resort State Park, a ski resort in the Allegheny Mountains, home of the Winter Special Olympics West Virginia. They kept on training until the night before the first event.

At the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, 2008, Ms. Messer carried the banner for Nicholas County Special Olympics as the first athlete from her area to compete in Special Olympics skiing events. More than 100 athletes were there to compete over three days of events: skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. Downhill skiers and snowboarders competed in the giant slalom and downhill races while cross-country skiers raced in events that range from 50 meters to 3 kilometers. 

Ms. Messer registered for two races – the 50 meter and the 100 meter.

“When Jessica was doing her run I was off to the side encouraging her to keep going,” Ms. Varner said. “She fell a couple of times but I kept telling her to ‘get up, keep going’ and she rose to her feet and took off again.

“When she came across the finish line I was standing there with my arms wide open for her and to see the smile on her face was worth all the hard work. She hugged me and said ‘Patsy I did it, I won, are you proud of me?’ I had tears running down my face and I told her, ‘I’m very proud of you. You did really well.” 

Ms. Messer went on to win both events she competed in. At the awards ceremony, West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin spoke about how he admired all the athletes’ courage, commitment and accomplishments. Gov. Manchin even took time to talk with Ms. Messer.

The photograph of the two together hangs next to her two gold medals, wooden skis and lift passes.