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By DAPHNE HUTCHINSON
Rappahannock News Contributing Writer
Eight years ago, while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, Jon McCullough sustained an injury that left him partially disabled and resulted in a medical discharge from the service.
Today, as a handicapped athlete, the 1984 graduate of Rappahannock County High School is a member of the U.S. national soccer team competing in the Paralympics in Atlanta.
The Paralympic Games are an official part of the modem Olympics. In Atlanta, in the same arenas the world watched for the two week of the Centennial Olympiad, physically handicapped athletes from 127 nations will be vying for the gold, silver and bronze. They’ll stay in the Olympic Village, they’ll stand on the three-tiered dais while their flag is raised and their anthem plays and they’ll live the Olympic dream.
For Mr. McCullough, the disability that was the worst of times has led to the best of times.
“Without it, 1 wouldn’t be representing my country at the Paralympics. I wouldn’t have met so many incredible people who have overcome monumental challenges to do their personal best,” he said. “So whether my injury was disabling or abling all depends on your perspective!”
But that variable perspective was a long time coming. For years, it was hard to see past the symptoms of the head injury that left him with post concussive syndrome, bilateral derangement of the shoulders and compressed vertebrae. He had brain damage that affected his number and time perception. He was plagued by blinding headaches. The left side of his body was weakened, resulting in slower reaction time and some muscle spasicity. “It was harder to control and direct the muscles on my left side, and that caused balance problems,” he explained.
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