Conference hbahba::cam_sports

150.0. "A Christmas Story" by MEOC02::CASEY (MEO78B::CASEY ..in truth!) Mon Dec 20 1993 14:03

 From the Melbourne, Australia "Herald Sun" dated Monday, 20 December, 1993.

Front Page Headline and full page colour photo entitled "CARL DASH FOR CRAIG"

         "Prayers with sick teenager" by Leanne Hall and Nick Bideau.


"American athletics superstar Carl Lewis spent more than an hour in a 
Melbourne church last night praying for the life of sick young athlete Craig 
Sheppard.

Lewis, who interrupted his crucial winter training to rush to the teenager's 
side, said the boy had `touched my heart'.

Craig, 17, who fought off cancer as a child, is battling the life-threatening 
heart disease cardiomyopathy.

Last night Lewis attended a dusk service at Clayton's (an outer Melbourne 
suburb) Church of Christ Fellowship with Craig, his parents Judy and Barry, 
and his brother Matthew, 10.

The Rev. Barry Cutchie said his church was honored to have `such a 
compassionate man as Carl Lewis' to pray with them. 

He said while the night was full of excitement for Craig, his family and the 
congregation, the sad reason for the visit was apparent to everyone.

`Although this was a wonderful experience and fulfilment of an impossible 
dream, it is tinged with the fact that Craig could die at any time,' he said.

`The family was absolutely excited by it but it was very emotionally draining 
because the sentence of death just hangs over them.

`After the service Craig introduced Carl to the congregation and we said a 
prayer for Craig and the family and for Carl Lewis,' he said.

`Craig told us what an inspiration Carl Lewis was and then Carl told us what 
an inspiration Craig was to him.'

Mrs. Sheppard said the family was prepared to mortgage their Clarinda (another 
Melbourne suburb) home to finance a trip to America for Craig to meet Lewis.

But when Lewis heard about Craig's plight he flew straight out. `He wrote me a 
very compelling letter which touched my heart,' Lewis said.

Craig was diagnosed as having malignant tumours in his muscles as a baby. He 
spent six years in hospital and had 17 operations.

He beat the cancer, which has a survival rate of just 10 per cent, and went on 
to become an excellent athlete.

But earlier this year, cardiomyopathy forced him to stop running.

Lewis met Craig at the airport early yesterday and spent several hours with 
him at the Regent Hotel in Collins St.

`We spent some good personal time together, we have a lot in common,' Lewis 
said.

`He is very nice, very personable and intelligent. He's a good kid.'

While Craig rested, Lewis spent several hours shopping in Myer and the 
Southgate complex. He even surprised shoppers by catching a tram up Swanston 
St. Walk.

Lewis, who flies back to Texas this morning, said he would have liked to have 
spent more time in Australia.

`It's the longest trip I've made, I mean you don't come this far and not have 
a great time.

`I'm going to try to take back some of the wonderful air and try to make this 
trip long remembered.'

Lewis will take home several Christmas gifts, including an Akubra hat, books 
and gemstones.

The secrecy surrounding his trip here was revealed in the `Herald Sun' on 
Saturday.

He said the lightning trip would not affect his training, aimed at wresting 
the crown of world's best sprinter from England's Linford Christie during the 
European athletics season.

`I don't train on the weekend. I left Friday night after practice and I'll be 
back in Houston on Monday morning in time for practice again,' he said.


                                    *****

    WOW!!!  Makes me change my thinking on Lewis a bit.  I always thought
    he was a "me-me-me" kinda guy.  Congrats to him - that was quite a
    gesture.
    
    NAZZ

    
    You are right Nazz.  It's a shame JD isn't here to trash the story,
    though.
    
    brews