[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 14983]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO HAYDEN MEATTEY

 Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I have been a strong supporter of 
Special Olympics for many years. It is a truly extraordinary global 
movement, bringing together more than 4.5 million athletes in 170 
countries. This summer, folks in my State have come to admire one 
especially talented and accomplished Special Olympian, Hayden Meattey 
of Goffstown, NH.
  Hayden was one of only two Granite Staters selected to compete this 
summer at the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. He returned 
home to a hero's welcome at Goffstown High School, having won a gold 
medal in the 800-meter speedwalking event and a bronze in the 800-meter 
event.
  Qualifying for the World Games was itself a remarkable achievement 
against talented competition. Hayden, a cross-country runner and 
speedwalker, trained twice a week with his team at Goffstown High 
School and independently the rest of the week, constantly pushing to 
exceed his personal best. Nancy Kelleher, coordinator of Team 
Uncanoonuc and Hayden's coach for 9 years, praised his work ethic as 
exceptional.
  His fellow students at Goffstown High packed the school gymnasium for 
a rally to wish him luck before he left for Los Angeles. When Hayden 
and his teammates on Team Uncanoonuc entered the gym, the room erupted 
in cheers and clapping.
  To say that Hayden is popular at Goffstown High is an understatement. 
As Principal Frank McBride put it: ``Hayden is just one of those sweet, 
kind human beings who puts a smile on everyone's face. He makes my day 
better. I think he does that with most of the people he comes into 
contact with.''
  The Special Olympics World Games are a remarkable sporting event. The 
accent is not on the participants' disabilities, but on their 
abilities. The athletes' success is determined by their own hard work, 
talent, and determination.
  In truth, Hayden was already a winner before he left for the games. 
He already had demonstrated grit and determination by joining Team 
Uncanoonuc, training like an Olympian, and earning the chance to 
compete at the highest level with Team USA against athletes from nearly 
170 nations. His gold and bronze medals in Los Angeles only confirmed 
what his friends and family already knew, that Hayden is a young man of 
indomitable spirit.
  Hayden was accompanied to Los Angeles by his very proud mom, dad, 
brother, and stepdad. I know that folks in Goffstown are also very 
proud of all he has achieved. So am I, and so are folks all across the 
Granite State. On behalf of my colleagues in the Senate, I thank Hayden 
Meattey for representing the United States at the games with a noble 
spirit and a champion's heart.

                          ____________________