Field Day

Yesterday was the Second Annual Gilbert Games at Wheaton High School, held in Sarah’s memory. We had a good day there. The event was actually much bigger than last year. This year there were kids with disabilities from seven different county schools who were bused in. The administrators told us they had schools all across the county calling and wanting their kids to participate, even up to an hour bus ride. Wow.

The kids all had t-shirts this year that said “Gilbert Games,” in different colors for the different schools. The teachers and helpers had black t-shirts too. We got yellow t-shirts for the Wheaton team. The event was better organized this year too, with kids coming over to the medal stand (our responsibility) as a group) and then rotating to their next event. As always, my favorite event is the pool noodle javelin.

We saw Danny, and hugged him. Mrs. Locastro, Sarah’s teacher, said he had been crying that morning. Why do I always think that other people don’t remember Sarah? I shouldn’t.

I also saw John, a little boy (now a teenager) that Sarah went to ballet and swimming with. I hugged him and he remembered us. We saw another girl, Hasnat, whom Sarah went to preschool with.

There was one moment that I was sitting quietly, and for a second, I felt Sarah close to me. I really felt her physically there, like a movement of the air on my body. Then some kids approached us and the moment vanished. I told Max about it and he believes she would have been there, among all the excitement and happy kids, to see her friends and us, on a day about her.