Cameron hails 'superhuman' stars
The “superhuman” efforts of wheelchair athletes made David Cameron reflect on his own disabled son, he said today as he expressed hope the Paralympics would permanently change perceptions.
Ivan Cameron was born seriously disabled and received round-the-clock care for cerebral palsy and epilepsy before his death in February 2009.
Speaking at the Olympic Stadium ahead of the closing ceremony, the Prime Minister told Channel 4: “Watching wheelchair rugby, seeing what people in wheelchairs can do and I think back to Ivan and I had some moments of thinking.
“As every parent, you think of all the things they can’t do. But actually the Paralympics is about how they are superhuman, about all the things they can do.”
He accepted that once tomorrow’s parade was over the country faced a post-Games “downer” but said he believed the summer’s sporting events would make British people more optimistic in general.
“Sometimes we can talk ourselves down as a country. We talk about our problems and our bad elements.
“But there is so much that is brilliant in Britain and I think that spirit will stay alive. We will always remember this summer and think of how we can be when we are at our best.
“Above all its about the public engagement and the momentum it can build for sport, for participation but, particularly the Paralympics, to change perceptions.”
