Special Olympics powerlifter to be honoured with team jump at LaSalle police's first polar plunge

Austin Clapp didn't fear picking up barbells loaded with weights — but for the Special Olympics powerlifter, leaping into freezing water was another matter.

"Oh, no, no, no. I could hardly get him in the shower half the time," said his mother, J'Neene Clapp. "Water was not his friend."

But true to Austin's loving personality, J'Neene said his dislike of water didn't prevent him from being a fan of polar plunge events: He'd regularly attend to cheer on participants and offer his score of their jumps.

"Usually a 10," J'Neene said. "Other years, he handed out towels when the jumpers got out of the pool."

Austin, who had Down Syndrome, died from lung issues last October at the age of 27, following respiratory illness.

Later this month, a team of his friends and coaches honour him by braving the cold water at the first polar plunge event hosted by LaSalle police.

The plunge is set to happen in a portable above-ground pool outside the Event Centre at LaSalle Landing in the evening of Jan. 23.

"We fill it the night before to make sure that the water is nice and frosty for the next day," said LaSalle police spokesperson Const. Terry Seguin.

"It's a momentary, bone-chilling event. It'll take your breath away."

The longer-running polar plunge hosted by Windsor police is still happening in February, but Seguin said LaSalle police wanted to organize their own event.

"We wanted to do something a little different this year — have something local, have something for our own community, and for our members who might not be able to make it out to the Windsor event."

Like most Ontario polar plunge events, all pledges benefit Special Olympics. Seguin said around 80 participants have signed up so far.

As of Jan. 10, the fundraising total was already more than $17,500.

One of the jump teams is named "Austin's Mousketeers" — a reference to the athlete's love of Mickey Mouse. 

Cealia Gagnon is a Windsor police officer and Special Olympics volunteer who coached Austin for years. 

"He would carry around his Mickey Mouse teddy bear... It wasn't too often that you would see him without Mickey at his side," Gagnon said. 

"He [was] just a ray of sunshine. Through the ups and downs of his illnesses, and during his champion moments. It didn't matter what kind of day Austin was having — He [was] just smiley, happy, and very lovable."

At four foot three inches tall and weighing about 105 pounds, Austin was the smallest member of the LaSalle-Windsor Special Olympics powerlifting team.

But his lifts were often the highlights of events — accompanied by cheering crowds and punctuated by Austin's catch phrase: "Yeaaah, buddy!"

"He'd flex his arms and say 'Yeaaah, buddy!' for everything," Gagnon recalled fondly. "It was 'Yeaaah, buddy!' to everybody. We just loved it."

Gagnon said Austin's best deadlift was 155 pounds, to the delight of all who witnessed it. 

Gagnon said it was difficult to tell Austin's Special Olympics teammates about his death.

"I'm even emotional talking about it now... We all decided that we would continue to do our best in memory of him, and that was a big reason why all of our coaches decided to get together this year and do the plunge."

J'Neene said it doesn't surprise her that her son continues to inspire camaraderie and goodwill.

"He just loved everybody. And everybody loved him," J'Neene said. "That doesn't go away. That can live on in every picture, every memory... That kind of spirit, it lingers for a long time."

Registration in the LaSalle police polar plunge can be done via soopolarplunge.crowdchange.ca/90868.

Every polar plunger who is in Grade 12 and enrolled for St. Clair College in September will receive a $500 bursary toward their tuition fees.