WEST ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com)—
Mondays are always special for skiers with the Gateway Disabled Ski program, like 39 year old Willie Deuster. This Monday at Hidden Valley Ski Area was even more special. Deuster has cerebral palsy and has been in a wheelchair for most of his life. But Monday night, his dream came true. Willie has skied for the past 15 years, but Monday he skied standing up."He came to me and said I'm gonna stand I'm gonna ski tonight," says Hidden Valley GM Bill Brandes, "I said you go for it Wildman."
For 15 years now Willie "the Wild Man" has skied like he's lived most of his life: sitting down. The past few Mondays he's skied the way even he thought was impossible.
"I've done a lot of things," Willie proudly admits. "Snow skiing standing up on my feet was the furthest thing from my mind."
Dr. Laney Nelson, a Gateway Disabled Ski Program volunteer saw something crucial in Willie, he saw potential.
"I said why don't we just stand you up?" Dr. Nelson says. "Everybody has potential and my job as an educator at Logan is to facilitate potential. Sometimes, you know, that potential is hidden."
So with the help of two interns, a contraption, and Willie's potential, Willie skis standing up.
"Freedom," says Willie, "Words cannot describe how free you are."
Words can't speak as loudly as seeing Willie ski standing up.
"He turned the whole thing by himself," says an excited Dr. Nelson, "and for him that's a degree of freedom he's never had before."
Even that little degree of freedom means the world to this Wildman.
"Thank you for making a dream come true," says Willie through tears. "Winter Olympics 3089, look out. Here comes Willie!"
