AIDAN TAYLOR HAS represented his country substantively, yet his bravery and contribution is unknown to many. So just who is Aidan?
He is an “everyday” law enforcement officer who takes pride in protecting his beloved nation. He is an “everyday” husband and father who provides for his household. To say this “everyday” down-to-earth 58-year-old has dedicated his life to others is an understatement. His blood, sweat and tears have gone into the development of the Special Olympics.
One day, after making his usual rounds at the airport, where he works, Aidan was approached by senior officers who offered him a life-changing proposal and without hesitation Aidan agreed to the cause. It was in 1983 that he would be asked to do of his best to bring awareness to the Special Olympics so that Barbadians with disabilities can participate in track and field events worldwide.
With a will of fire bubbling up inside, Aidan embarked on a quest to secure sponsorship and public support to help raise funds to facilitate the games.
“The Special Olympics started in 1968 in the United States . . . . Then it gradually spread across the world and Barbados at the time was one of the first Caribbean countries to be involved in the games,” he said.
“There was a programme that started here in the early 1980s for officers like myself to volunteer for the games.
“When I went to my first meet I was very excited. Actually I had a dream that I had a special connection between heaven and earth. Some angels came to me in this dream and gave me a gift, a pair of shoes and they were pure gold.”
Little did Aidan know that his dream would come to reality.
“About eight hours later someone told me that the United States was interested in having someone from Barbados to take the Olympic torch. In a matter of hours my visa, passport and plane ticket were organised and in two days I said goodbye to my friends and loved ones and was off to North Carolina.”
Aidan told EASY magazine that this was a great experience. He said he had to run a very long distance but he was up for the challenge.
“I ran from North Carolina to Virginia and then to Washington DC. It was three weeks of running with the torch and I was paired with a guy from St Vincent and the Grenadines.
“There are about 400 officers running and at certain intervals we passed on the torch to each other. There are ten torches and we are divided into ten teams and I ran with the torch for 26 miles on a daily basis. I was tired but I was pumped up and excited to do it and there were thousands of spectators cheering us on so holding the torch for three hours non-stop was not difficult.
“After the run we attended conferences and were able to speak about our countries and why we volunteered. During that trip I was the only person out of the group who got to tour the house of George Washington. We were pressed for time and when I told the guide I was from Barbados she stopped the bus and made sure I got to see the house because he visited Barbados when he was alive.”
Although Aidan said that trip was amazing he said nothing could compare to his visit to the North Pole.
“The Summer Olympics is every two years and the winter is every four years so in 2001 I went to Alaska and I was the only Bajan to do so in the programme.”
Aidan said this was completely breathtaking because of the climate, people and the way of life there.
“It is hard to describe my experience there,” he said.
“I had never seen snow before and it was extremely cold. I had to wear a lot of clothes – I had on five pants, four woollen hats and six shirts and an overall.
“We ran from Anchorage to Fairbanks then to Juneau and finally we passed in the area where the Eskimos live at the tip of the North Pole. When I reached the North Pole blood came from my nose.
“The Eskimos are like giants. I met one of them. He was really tall, about six and a half to seven feet and when he shook my hand he nearly broke my fingers. He was really strong. I also got to meet some of the state troopers and officers there and travel in their private planes. Unfortunately I did not get to fish but I ate a lot of fruit and food the organisers packed for us.”
During this trip Aidan went to some of the tourist attractions.
“I went to the zoo. I got to see a polar bear and they are huge. I got to see the part of Alaska that was destroyed in the 1964 earthquake and tsunami. They preserved it as a historic site so it looks the same as it did when the events took place. I also got to visit several universities and I gave speeches. And I got to climb some of their mountains high up in the sky and that was breathtaking. It is a beautiful place to see.”
In 2003 Aidan attended the summer games in Europe. He got to visit and ran in over ten countries. And on this trip he saw Nelson Mandela in Belfast, Northern Ireland and also Arnold Schwarzenegger. He ran in Germany, England, Latvia, Holland, France, Greece Turkey, Poland and Finland.
Although Aidan said he loves travelling the world and experiencing new things, he said the cause is more important than the adventure.
“We are here for a purpose and God has given each person a gift. People who do not have disabilities have so much to be thankful for and are so blessed but those who have are even more specially gifted. When I see the things differently able people can do it brings tears to my eyes. They are so loving and caring and it is genuine.
“I believe there is no love stronger than the love they have inside of them. When I was in North Carolina there was a guy in a wheelchair with no hands and feet and his father was there with him encouraging him and talking to him. When I saw that I thought to myself that is love in its purest form.”
Aidan said that when he was a child his family was poor. He explained that Dame Olga Lopes Seale played an important role in his life. She purchased school uniforms and shoes for him.
“Aunty Olga has passed but she has left her teachings behind. Right now the baton has been passed on to me so I am carrying on her legacy and letting her work continue. So in my small way I try to give back to Barbados and the rest of the world.”
Taylor also did a distance run when Obadele Thompson returned home with Barbados’ first-ever Olympic medal in 2000. He said a lot of Barbadians remember him for that. They called him the Oba runner.
