Everyone Wins

FULLERTON — The crowd erupted in cheers as 10-year-old Brian Gabriel crossed the finish line of the 50-meter race.

It didn’t matter that Brian, propelling his wheelchair, had finished last. Just competing and having a good time was enough.

“We did it!” shouted an excited Brian, while slapping high fives with fellow contestant 12-year-old Edwin Thompson.

This was the scene all over the soccer field Friday at Cal State Fullerton, which hosted the 12th annual Kathleen E. Faley Special Games.

More than 1,700 competitors and 1,200 volunteers took part in the event, which is a day for developmentally disabled children and adults to participate in games and activities for the sole purpose of having fun. Participants came from throughout Southern California and constituted the largest turnout in the event’s history.

“We just wanted to create a special day for exceptional people without regard to age or ability,” said Dan Faley, founder of the Special Games, named after his sister, who died in a car accident. “Each year it gets a little bigger and it has just snowballed to where it is today.”

It felt more like a carnival than competition; no times were kept, no records were broken. Everyone went home with a blue ribbon commemorating the special day.

Faley said that this event differs from the Special Olympics, at which medals are given to the top finishers.

“The ribbons are given to everyone at the end of the day [at the Special Games] because they are all winners,” said Faley.

The military also took part in the event for the first time. Members of the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Marines assisted as part of the games’ theme, “A Salute to the Armed Forces.”

“It’s great to be here and it just makes me so happy to see everyone enjoy themselves,” said Army Sgt. Eric Goss, who was helping kids get in and out the Humvee that was on display.

In addition to such events as the basketball shot, the softball throw, the football toss and the long jump, participants enjoyed climbing in and out of fire trucks and police cars, bouncing around in a huge inflatable tent and consuming barbecued hamburgers. Many of the kids were paired with volunteers to take them around the field and visit all the different events.

“I just love basketball,” said 15-year-old Sergio Cannon of Anaheim, spinning a ball on one finger. It was his second year participating in the games. “I’m glad everyone can come out and have fun.”

That thinking seemed contagious.

“It’s a wonderful event where each person can relax and spend some time doing what they enjoy,” said Tricia Evans, a volunteer for the third year at the games. “There’s no pressure and just seeing all these smiles is enough for me.”

The event was named simply “Special Games” when it was started in 1986 by Faley and some of his classmates as a project at Cal State Fullerton. It was renamed two years later after Faley’s sister’s fatal accident.