Jason McElwain

Four minutes and 19 seconds changed the life of Jason McElwain forever. It was more than three years ago when the then senior in high school was given a shot to play in his team’s final basketball game of the season.

He was the team manager at the time and coach Jim Johnson wanted to give McElwain the opportunity to score just one basket in a live game before departing Greece-Athena High School in the suburbs of Rochester, N.Y.

It was a dream come true for McElwain, who had spent years before that game shooting 500 baskets a day, often times with his older brother Josh in the backyard.

McElwain has autism and a learning disability and did not mutter his first words until he was 5 years old.

Coach Johnson never promised McElwain he would get any playing time but with his team up by 20 points in the final minutes of the game, the coach called McElwain’s number.

On his first attempt, McElwain shot an air ball. It was a nerve-wracking moment for Johnson who then said a little prayer.

“Please Lord, let him make just one basket,” he prayed.

And then he made the basket and the home crowd went wild.

He did it. He scored a basket.

But McElwain wasn’t done yet.

His teammates kept feeding him the ball and McElwain kept making long-distance three-pointers from all over the court. One after the other of his shots went in as the crowd could barely contain itself.

J-Mac, his nickname, finished with six three-pointers and scored a team-high 20 points in just four minutes and 19 seconds on the court. When the game was over, fans rushed the court to salute the phenomenal performance.

Coach Johnson was in tears.

The next day Johnson essentially abandoned his duties as the school’s physical education teacher and watched a tape of the previous night’s game over and over.

A local television station aired footage of the game that night. The next night, two more television stations aired footage of the game and within a week the story went nationwide.

McElwain transformed himself from being Greece-Athena’s team manager, handing towels and water to teen boys, to being an inspiration to millions of people with and without disabilities. He was on the CBS Evening News, Oprah and ESPN. He attended an NBA Finals game and was at the Final Four college basketball tournament in 2006. He won an ESPY and made former President George W. Bush cry.

Yesterday, McElwain told his remarkable story to U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, and a crowd of hundreds at Community Gatepath’s annual Power of Possibilities breakfast fundraiser at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City.

Community Gatepath serves the disabled community in San Mateo County by offering job training and placement, among many other services, for thousands of people with a wide range of disabilities. County Supervisor Adrienne Tissier was the mistress of ceremonies at yesterday’s event attended by Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, San Mateo Police Chief Susan Manheimer, South San Francisco Councilman Kevin Mullin, his father former assemblyman Gene Mullin and former Burlingame mayor Joe Galligan, among hundreds of others.

The crowd was also composed of plenty of people with disabilities who are served by Community Gatepath including Ken Lybrand. Lybrand, a father of two who works at Draeger’s in downtown San Mateo, is this year’s winner of the Neal Poppin Award. The Neal Poppin Award recognizes a participant who demonstrates the Power of Possibilities through their determination and spirit.

Community Gatepath also honored Safeway, CVS/Longs Drugs, the Burlingame Business Improvement District and the Hillsborough Auxiliary Club for employing dozens of people with disabilities, volunteering time and donating much-needed money.

Like many nonprofits in San Mateo County, state funding is down significantly at Community Gatepath this year to the tune of $1.5 million. The reduction has caused staff reductions and voluntary pay decreases, which makes contributions from those who attended yesterday’s function all the more valuable.

It is why Jason McElwain and his mother Debbie agreed to attend the function, because their presence would go toward helping others.

McElwain is 21 now. He lives at home with his family and works two jobs, at a supermarket and restaurant. His real passion, however, is for coaching sports. He is an assistant coach for Johnson on the basketball team at Greece-Athena and also coaches baseball and football.

Despite being an author, McElwain penned, “The Game of My Life” in 2008, and the subject of an upcoming movie produced by Magic Johnson, the 21-year-old still faces the reality that many persons with disabilities face, the inability to be awarded a high school diploma. Since McElwain cannot pass the General Education Development test due to his learning disability, going to college, for now, is out of the question.

He is determined to get a coaching certificate, though.

His mother Debbie said a bomb could go off in the backyard and J-Mac wouldn’t know it when shooting baskets. His autism benefits his basketball game, she said.

The family, despite her son’s fame, remains private, Debbie said.

“The kids come first. We just try to live normal lives,” she said.

Yesterday was McElwain’s 44th trip since that remarkable four minutes and 19 seconds, three years ago, he told Speier. Speier then invited him to take his 45th trip to Washington, D.C. to visit Congress. She later pulled out her checkbook and donated $1,000 to Community Gatepath.

When asked by Speier if he had any words of wisdom for the crowd, he said, “never give up. Sometimes dreams do come true.”

For information about Community Gatepath visit: www.gatepath.com.