By Rick Wright

Staff Writer

“A mother usually doesn’t want to see her kid running down the street with fire, escorted by police,” joked Betsy Ring of South Portland.

In this case, Ring had reason to be filled with pride. 

Her son, Aidan McKee, 13, ran as a torchbearer in the Paralympic Torch Relay March 12 in Vancouver, British Columbia. 

The Paralympics, an international competition for disabled athletes, is held every two years, alternating summer and winter games. Always held in the same city as the Olympics, the Paralympics began in Rome in 1960. London will host the games in 2012.

McKee, an eighth-grader at Mahoney Middle School, ran a 300-meter leg of the relay through downtown Vancouver. The relay began March 3 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada. 

The Paralympic Games were held March 12 through March 21 in Vancouver. More than 1,300 disabled athletes from 44 countries competed in five sports, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, curling and sledge hockey.

The relay’s motto was “Spark Becomes Flame.” Six hundred people carried the torch during the 10-day run that wound its way throughout Canada before ending in Vancouver.

McKee is not disabled, however, he is an athlete who plays football, basketball, baseball, soccer and runs cross country for school and travel teams in the community.

Crowds cheered on runners as they carried the flame closer to B.C. Place, the site of the opening ceremony for the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, McKee said.

“It was actually really cool. It was fun to run down the street with a torch and know that it’s touched so many other people’s torches,” McKee said. “I haven’t had a feeling like that for a while.” 

The South Portland teenager was selected as a torchbearer by the Canadian Paralympic Committee. All relay runners were chosen for their outstanding contribution to the Paralympics. 

McKee was asked to run in recognition of his support for the Beijing games in 2008, his contribution to a book about Paralympics and his volunteer work with wheelchair basketball players.

McKee first experienced Paralympic sports when his father, Charlie McKee, who lives in Vancouver, took him to the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. In Beijing, the McKees met Paralympic veterans, including author Jeff Tiessen.

Tiessen was writing his book “Glowing Hearts – From Play To Podium” about the history and mission of the Paralympic movement. He asked McKee to contribute to the book after seeing how inspired the youth was by performances of disabled athletes.

McKee wrote a two-page essay for Tiessen’s book that described the experiences he had and lessons he learned in Beijing. 

McKee is very impressed by the ability and the skill of the Paralympic athletes.

In Tiessen’s book, he wrote, “I imagined how hard these athletes had to train in wheelchairs or on artificial legs or with no sight at all just to get there. It’s really amazing. They are incredible athletes. I have a new respect for people who give it their all and challenge themselves, no matter what.”

Last summer, McKee traveled to Vancouver to visit his father for a week. While there, he worked as a volunteer with wheelchair basketball players who were promoting upcoming games in Vancouver. 

McKee even got to play with the Canadian Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball team. 

“It was another exhibition. I got to play a couple minutes with the team in a scrimmage,” McKee said. 

Since McKee had never been in a wheelchair, he found maneuvering the chair and shooting the basketball difficult.

“It was hard to turn and shoot because you have no legs,” McKee said. “I think it’s just amazing how they can do so much stuff in a wheelchair. These guys could do unbelievable moves.”

McKee said being in a wheelchair was interesting because it was a new experience. 

“When you sit down and you’re in it for a long time and you can’t move, you get tired. Your legs actually fall asleep,” he said.

The experience also gave him a new appreciation for how disabled people can play sports, get around and manage their lives, McKee said.

“I wish I could do it over and over again because it was so much fun,” McKee said of his torch run. “It all flew by so fast. I was just amazed how a couple days before I was sitting in the classroom and two days later I was carrying the Paralympic torch.”

Ring said she was proud that her son was asked to participate in the event. 

“It’s an amazing honor. He’s got such a kind soul that it doesn’t surprise me that they would recognize that and invite him to be part of it,” Ring said.

Rick Wright can be reached at 287-4337, ext. 237.