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`it's Like A Miracle'

Running's A Rush For Memorial Freshman With Autism

The Capital Times :: FRONT :: 1A

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Van Leuven , a Madison Memorial freshman who is autistic and visually impaired, finished the 5,000-meter junior varsity race in a time of 27 minutes, 9 seconds.

He was the 122nd and last runner to complete the race at the Yahara Hills Running Course, coming in nearly 10 minutes after the first-place finisher. But for his teammates and race officials, who cheered loudly as he crossed the finish line, it was a performance of epic proportions.

Van Leuven, 16, broke into a wide smile as he gave his mother, Cathy, a high five in the chute after the race and accepted the congratulations of his teammates and family.

*

Autism describes a range of disorders that typically interfere with a person's ability to communicate and understand others. Motor skills are sometimes compromised as well.

It can be crippling for those who are severely afflicted.

Cathy and Doug Van Leuven discovered their son, David, was autistic when he was 4 years old.

But Cathy said they knew from the beginning that David's life was going to be anything but normal.

"He was born prematurely three months early. He had eight-hour day nursing for four years," Cathy said. "Every year the pediatrician would say, Well, he's got a 50-50 chance this year of making it.' He was a very, very sick baby.

"The one thing that always surprises us when we see him run is that he was on oxygen until he was 4. He also coded three times in his life, and once, on Easter in his first year of life, he was given the last rites. He never ate until he was 7. He had a tube in until then. So he has a lot more to deal with than the autism."

David also suffers from optical nerve atrophy, which gives him "low vision," a condition usually found in stroke patients.

But that didn't prevent the Van Leuvens from providing David with the same opportunities enjoyed by his brothers and sisters -- Karin, 21, Paul, 18, Laura, 14, and Mary, 10.

Doug Van Leuven, who was passing out water to the finishers of the girls' junior varsity race, chuckled when asked how his son's disabilities affected the family.

"We have three cats and a golden retriever, and there is always a certain amount of chaos at our house," he said.

"Kids today are a lot more open than it was in our generation. They embrace the handicapped kids a lot more and they feel like they're not so different. That was part of bringing David out here and making people aware that he has disabilities but he can still compete."

David, who is classmates with his sister, Laura, is taking regular English, American experience and Spanish classes at Memorial but has modified expectations.

"When we took him home, we wondered, Gosh, will he ever be able to do what other people do?' " Cathy said. "We wanted him to have friends and run and swim and learn to read and do the other things kids do, and it turns out, we got there. It's like a miracle."

*

Longtime Memorial boys cross country coach Stan Richter was David's third-grade physical education teacher at John Muir Elementary School, where he worked until retiring in 2003.

Richter couldn't imagine that one day he would be congratulating David as he crossed the finish line in a cross country race.

"He's made so much improvement, it's refreshing," Richter said. "David is a trailblazer for other kids who are autistic. He will give them an opportunity to compete in a high school sport. He's a special kid."

Because Van Leuven's vision is impaired, he applied to the WIAA and received permission to run with a companion, University of Wisconsin student Julia Haviland. Richter said Van Leuven does all the workouts, although some, like the speed workouts, are more difficult.

He has run in seven meets, including the Verona Invitational, Madison West Invitational and Mount Horeb Invitational and the Big Eight Conference dual meets.

His final race will be on Saturday at the Big Eight Conference junior varsity meet at the Yahara course.

"I had some apprehension for the long runs. But when I found out that Julia would be working with David, my worst fears were eliminated," Richter said.

Haviland, a 2002 graduate of La Crosse Central who ran cross country for the Red Raiders, runs with David during practice and uses a Bungee cord connection to keep him on track.

"I try to get him to run next to me but sometimes I have to pull him a little bit," Haviland said. "He doesn't have a sense of competition or sense of urgency.

"In practice, if he falls behind, he sometimes gets lost a little bit because he is focusing on other visual stimuli. That's what autism is. So I'm constantly talking to him and giving him as much verbal reinforcement as possible."

Haviland said she believes the physical benefits of running are important for David and that it helps him focus better in the classroom and at home.

Cathy Van Leuven said she is grateful for Haviland's help.

"Someone had to get into running to get him moving. That was me," she said. "But I'm so grateful for Julia taking over because boys don't like to do things with their mothers."

Haviland said she gets as much out of the relationship as David and his family does.

"He brings me joy every day. He cracks me up. I laugh all the time," she said. "I really love working with him. Plus, I get to run."

*

David started running two years ago when his mother purchased a treadmill. For six months, he built up his heart, lungs and legs.

Last spring, David began running outside and participating in track in middle school to get a taste of what this fall would be like.

Now there isn't anything David would rather do, other than maybe play with a few of his toys.

"I like to run," David said, before turning his attention to the finish of the junior varsity girls race, where he would cheer for his friend Jordan.

"Mom, can I can run again?"

E-mail: dsemrau@madison.com