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SANTA CLARA, Washington County — Seventh-grade student Cameron Ashton didn't come in first place Tuesday; neither did his classmate Matthew Van Gils. But ask either of them about their finish the mini-triathlon, and they'll both tell you it's the greatest thing they ever did.
"There's nothing that could stop me from smiling after that. It was awesome,” Matthew said.
Both are students at Lava Ridge Intermediate School in Santa Clara, just outside of St. George.
Tuesday morning, more than 130 students were running, biking and swimming during their mini-triathlon. But there was one student who seemed to be the favorite athlete of them all, even though he can't run, bike or swim.
"It’s not every day he gets to do this kind of stuff, and so it's pretty cool he's able to do it with us,” Cameron said.
Cameron and Aiden's classmate, Aiden Rose, has cerebral palsy and is quadriplegic. But when it was time to sign up for the mini-triathlon, he wanted to do it.
“He was so excited about it. He totally knows everything that was happening,” said Tifiny Rose, Aiden’s mother.
You just look at him, and he's smiling and laughing because of the wind in his face — and he wants more. So you just keep going, and it just pushes you to your limits.
–Cameron Ashton
Even though they would have to bike 4 miles, run 2 miles and swim 300 meters, Cameron and Matthew decided they would help Aiden make it to the finish line.
"(Aiden's) so grateful for what he has, and he has such a good attitude for what he has, that's just so awesome to see,” Matthew said. “It makes me grateful I have a person like that in my life to show me what I should be like.”
Mathew and Cameron pushed Aiden in a small stroller-type buggy during the running event. They attached that buggy to a bicycle and pulled him during the bike portion of the mini-triathlon. For swimming, they pulled Aiden in a small, inflatable boat all the way to the finish.
Rose couldn't stop smiling.
"You just look at him, and he's smiling and laughing because of the wind in his face — and he wants more. So you just keep going, and it just pushes you to your limits,” Cameron said.
That's why, when they finished, it didn't matter if they placed in the race. It only mattered that they finished.
"People say you can't change the world, and maybe you can't, but two boys showed us today you can change somebody's corner of the world,” said Steve Jolley, a teacher at Lava Ridge.
It’s a day Aiden will never forget because for a few hours he was just like everyone else.
“It is amazing to know there are kids out there that care (and) love and that want to make him happy,” Rose said.
