Team Karlie: More Than Able
ARTICLES
Posted by Jason Tanner | on March 7th, 2013 |
By: Gail Kirkland
She’s involved across the spectrum, from church youth group to Buddy Ball to Puzzle Pieces to Team Karlie
to Dream Riders to the Color Blast 5K. That robust activity schedule and a strong interest in athletics plus an
outgoing personality equal a spirited young lady who gushes when she describes her stroller-jogger races.
She’s nothing short of inspirational, rooted in and sustained by a strong support network.
For Leah Abell, who has cerebral palsy, it all began several years ago with a church-sponsored Harvest Day
Run. Leah, now 15, and her dad, Ronnie, registered to run in support of the event, although neither he nor Leah
had done anything like this before. “It’s easier for me to run and push the jogger than to run by myself,” said
Ronnie—who quickly admitted he was not a legitimate, well-trained runner in the beginning.
All of that changed quickly after Leah witnessed Team Karlie in action. “I’d like to do that,” Leah said. When
the Abells discovered that Team Karlie would be participating in the Harvest Day Run, they joined forces. The
Leah-Dad combo was the first addition to Team Karlie, whose “mission is to provide young people with
physical disabilities the use of a special jogging stroller so they can participate in the sport of running.” Karlie
Hempel, the team’s namesake, has cerebral palsy. Karlie’s middle school health technician, Jeff Miller (an AllAmerican runner), was the inciting force behind the creation of Team Karlie. He had been inspired by the
father-son story of Dick Hoyt, who competes with his son in marathons nationwide.
Sara, Leah’s mom, recalls that Ronnie (a fireman) was not a super fast runner—until Leah noticed Jeff pushing
Karlie in one of their races. “I wish Daddy would push me faster,” Leah said. That’s all it took.
“Oh, I trained hard after that!” said Ronnie, who now finishes at the top of the pack.
Enter Jeff Miller—again. He recruited peer tutors at Burns Middle School to help the special needs students
during track practice. One of those tutors was Andrew Lee, who openly said, “Before this, I really wasn’t
athletic at all.” Make that two non-runners now becoming runners (Ronnie and Andrew).
Andrew joined Team Karlie, and trained two weeks. “It was awful,” said Andrew upon recalling that first race
in which the winds were blowing 40 mph. Nonetheless, he ran the whole thing. “I’d never run like that before.”
“But, he was hooked,” Ronnie interjected. Andrew ran alongside the Leah-Dad combo until the last mile of
that first race. Then Ronnie did something extraordinary, something life-changing. He offered Andrew the
opportunity to push Leah the last mile.
“That was the most rewarding experience in my life…that’s the best feeling still to this day,” said Andrew, a
sophomore, who is now a member of Apollo’s cross country team.
Prior to Team Karlie expanding to four sets of runners, a very dedicated Special Services teacher, Amanda
Owen spear-headed a fundraising effort to purchase Karlie a jogging stroller. “Within four days they raised the
money for the stroller, along with a few extra hundred dollars for a helmet (pink) and a racing outfit (also
pink),” according to Kathy Hempel, Karlie’s mom.
“The running community is familiar now with Team Karlie and everybody’s so supportive,” said Ronnie with
a sense of pride and appreciation.
Ronnie and Sara are volunteering with Team Karlie for the Color Blast 5K; Andrew will be running, pushing
Leah in her jogger.
“Andy pushes Leah in all the in-town races now, which Leah prefers…which broke Daddy’s heart the first
time,” Sara said.
“Not really,” Ronnie added.
“Yes, it did!” Leah broke in. Uncontrollable laughter filled the room.
Leah is surrounded by genuinely good people, an awesome family, and an incredible network of friends.
“For me, [the impact is] seeing her participate in something that she otherwise wouldn’t be able to participate
in physically and to connect with people that she otherwise might not get to connect with in the community,”
said Sara, with Leah affirming her mom’s sentiments.
Kids with special needs have such a limited opportunity for social events. “Seeing the kids just enjoying the
moment like everybody else is doing is such a good feeling,” Ronnie added.
Just as redwoods stand tall and mighty—gaining their strength by intertwining their otherwise weak and
shallow roots with the surrounding redwoods—so stands this young Owensboro family, securely rooted with
their strong network of support.