On June 1st, two incredible para-athletes competed in the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon and are a shining example of the heart and spirit that so many show in the Bay Area.
Brian Cowie (legally blind) and Meyrick Jones (who has an amputated leg), joined forces to help each other complete one of the most difficult triathlons in the world. According to Brian, it is “one of those bucket-list, epic races.” These two athletes are perfect examples of the type of spirit that shines here in the Bay Area, and the kind of people who live and play here.
As a lifelong Californian, and a resident of the East Bay for over 30 years, I know that the Bay Area is not an easy place to make it. For most people, living in the Bay Area is a struggle. It’s expensive and competitive, from the housing market to the job market. We choose to be here, and must work hard to make that dream a reality. Overcoming these challenges, though, like a triathlon, is a reward well worth the struggle.
The Bay Area is a place of natural beauty—the rolling, green hills and grand mountaintops surrounded by the sparkling water of the Bay and the Pacific Ocean are punctuated by the beautiful Golden Gate and Bay Bridges. The sun burns off the rolling fog during the day, and majestic pink and orange sunsets give way to the sparkling city lights of San Francisco and Oakland at night.
As a result, tourists are attracted from all over the world. Most go home with hundreds of beautiful photographs, fond memories of Fisherman’s wharf and a new favorite wine from picturesque Napa Valley.
Meyrick Jones was not one of those lucky tourists, however.
In 1995, Meyrick was a college student from Vancouver on vacation in San Francisco with his girlfriend. They had plans to tour Alcatraz but it was booked, so they decided to do the next best thing on the tourist list: ride a cable car.
Riding back from Fisherman’s Wharf, another cable car got loose and crashed into theirs. Meyrick recalls looking out into the Bay at the time. Little did he know that about 20 years later would get his trip to Alcatraz and even swim across the Bay—not as a tourist, though, but as an inspiration to us all.
Meyrick spent three weeks at San Francisco General Hospital where they ultimately amputated one his legs. He spent a lot of time reflecting on what his life would be like with such a dramatic change and came up with a plan for his future: “to simply make the best of whatever it was going to be.”
Meyrick began with small goals, like walking, but has completely blown those goals away and is now a world-class triathlete!
“Goal setting for me is a way of life, and I think that started for me after the accident.”
At a para-nordic skiing event, Meyrick met fellow para-athlete Brian Cowie. Brian has a progressive, degenerative disease that began when he was 22 that has resulted in legal blindness. His vision is approximately 20/200.
Brian and Meyrick talked a bit and found that what they really both loved (more than skiing), was triathlons. For each of them to compete in an event alone, however, it would be logistically challenging (not to mention the physical challenge!). So, they decided to team up and help each other.
Brian recalls that “initially I decided to try a triathlon because there is an element to triathlons like if I can do this, I can do anything… It’s very empowering to do something that’s deemed to be difficult, especially by the general public.” He also likes the fact that in triathlons like Escape from Alcatraz disabled athletes do not compete separately.
During the 1.5 mile swim from the island of Alcatraz through the cold and turbulent waters to the San Francisco shore, they were tethered together by a large rubber cord so that Meyrick could lead the way for Brian. At the end of the swim, Brian helped Meyrick put on his prosthetic leg for the 18 mile bike ride through the Presidio where they rode together on a tandem bike. Meyrick rode in front, of course, to guide the amazing duo. In the final leg of the triathlon, the 8 mile run through Golden Gate Park, Brian and Meyrick were tethered together again. This time closer than in the swim so that they could run side by side and Meyrick could point out potholes, posts, and people.
“We are a unique team,” Meyrick said. “I don’t know of any other team like ours.”
Meyrick had not been back to the Bay Area since the accident until a few days before the race. In an interview before the race, when asked about how he felt about the upcoming trip to San Francisco he said he’s looking forward to it but “when I hear the “ding-ding” of the cable cars, I might step to the curb.” He went back to the site of the crash before the race and reportedly did not expect to feel very emotional but the memories came flooding back and he was overcome with tears.
A few days later, Meyrick got to show he’d not only recovered from the accident physically and mentally, but that he had thrived. And with Brian, they inspired the other athletes, the crowd, and everyone watching on TV as they crossed the finish line side-by-side in 3 hours, 31 minutes, and 55 seconds.
“I don’t know if I would have had the power to inspire people had I not had the accident,” Meyrick said.
The athletes didn’t originally think they would garner a lot of attention, but once they realized there is an interest they wanted to turn it into something that could not only benefit themselves, but also others like them. So they founded the Para Project, a non-profit that raises money for other para-athletes to get the expensive equipment they need to fulfill their dreams of competing.
While the story of Brian and Meyrick is truly amazing and newsworthy, there is a similar story in each of us.
People that don’t live in the San Francisco Bay Area always tell me how lucky I am to be here. It isn’t just luck, though, and the journey of owning my own home in the East Bay has not been particularly easy, either.
In my life I’ve gone from having most everything (a stable home, great schools, beautiful surroundings), to essentially not having anywhere to live and being displaced from my hometown. I know what it’s like to face a major challenge and have nowhere to call your own. That’s part of what drives me as a Realtor—helping people find their spots in the world, and set down roots. The idea of owning my own home began as a dream, then became a goal, and is now a reality for which I am continually grateful. And not just a home, but a home in such a wonderful place!
Residents want to live here for many of the same reasons the tourists come. We admire the natural beauty of the area, the fabulous topography (which so many places simply don’t have), the beauty of the bay (and it’s salty delicious smell), the food, the arts, the bright and interesting people. Even the light is good here; known and appreciated by artists the world around, there’s a lovely purple light that happens that’s also rare, and coveted. Our older home-stock is another huge draw. Homes here are not cookie-cutter. From the Victorians to craftsmans, the bungalows to Mediterraneans, mid-century’s and cottages, there’s something for everyone. You just have to be determined. The area simply doesn’t have any more space—one has to vie for an existing spot.
But people keep wanting to come, to be a part of the blazing life that permeates all areas of what makes up the East Bay. Gays came long before that was at all accepted, as did interracial couples, and immigrants from anywhere and everywhere…people come from all corners of the country and the world, ready to make this their home.
One of the biggest challenges is simply affording to live here. Those of us that buy homes here know they do not come cheap. In fact, our real estate is not only some of the most expensive in the country, it’s some of the most expensive in the world. There is a lot of competition because a lot of people want to live here. As a result, you have to work hard to be here. And to stay here.
I have the utmost respect for all of my clients because I know that every one of them has a story, and most stories involve struggle and overcoming odds (or it wouldn’t be much of a story now, would it?). Yet they’ve all ultimately triumphed in order to live in the incredible San Francisco Bay Area and be part of its wonderful life. I think that is why I work so hard as a Realtor everyday (and many nights)—it means a lot to me to be a part of that journey.
Brian and Meyrick, I salute you! You are an inspiration to us all, and show that with heart and hard work, you can make your dreams a reality.