Jahnei Mundon is 12 years old and has never been involved in sports.
Sunday will be a first.
She’ll be participating in the Kauai Marathon and Half Marathon, pushed in her wheelchair by her “Angel,” Darrin Deja of Wisconsin, as part of the “My Team Triumph” program.
Her mom, Kelsey Alisna, said she is delighted.
“I’m so excited,” the Lihue woman said. “She doesn’t do sports, but she loves adventure.”
And it’s an adventure Mundon only learned about Thursday, when she met Deja for a training run on the coastal path in Kapaa. There were smiles and laughter as they connected with the other My Team Triumph entry, Josh Iloreta, and local triathlete Leigh Drachman Feutz.
My Team Triumph is a nonprofit, assisted athletic program, with chapters across the United States, that believes that every person, regardless of disabilities, deserves to experience the joy of crossing the finish line.
Mundon has had an undiagnosed disability since birth. She can’t speak, so she uses her eyes to communicate. She can move her hands but is primarily transported in a wheelchair. She can respond, slowly, in different situations, and recently blew a horn to produce a sound, which pleased her mom.
“She understands everything you tell her,” Alisna said. “She keeps doing things she never did before.”
Alisna said she believes the program will be a big benefit to her daughter, who doesn’t get to spend much time with others like her, so she sometimes feels like she is “not normal.”
“I’m excited. I can’t wait to do more marathons,” Alisna added. “I can’t wait to take her to different states that have a whole bunch of children that are being pushed in wheelchairs. She can see there are more people like her.”
Deja will be one of the Angels pushing Mundon, who is referred to as a “captain” in My Team Triumph.
He’s been a volunteer with the program three years and completed 14 races last year, pushing athletes with disabilities over many miles. This is his first time participating on Kauai.
It helps if they can get a head start so, when people pass, they can offer encouragement.
“When they yell for the captain in the chair, that helps them,” he said.
Sitting in the chair is not easy, Deja added. It takes patience, balance and endurance.
“The Captains are working, too,” he said.
There will be two more Angels on hand in case Deja or Drachman Feutz need assistance.
“It’s definitely a team effort,” said Deja, who is recovering from a ruptured ACL that happened in February.
The finish line is often the highlight, and if it’s allowed, the Angels like to lift the Captains out of their wheelchairs and walk them across the finish line.
“They all seem to smile,” he said. “They know what’s going on.”
It’s those smiles that keep Deja returning to My Team Triumph.
“They get to experience something they never got to experience before,” he said.
“I like helping people,” said Deja, who is a carpenter. “I always have. I like to see people who don’t get included in stuff get included.”
No worries about coming in first or second or third, either, he said.
“It’s more about getting out there and enjoying the experience and letting our Captains enjoy the experience.”
Drachman Feutz has known brothers Josh and Jason Iloreta for years. Jason Iloreta has pushed his brother through several races in the past four years, including the Kauai half marathon in 2016, but can’t make it back from Washington state for Sunday’s run.
Josh Iloreta was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, travels in a wheelchair and communicates with an electronic voice through a computer and keypad.
Emma Iloreta, Josh Iloreta’s mom, said he is disappointed that his brother can’t make it home to join him for the race (they stay in contact via FaceTime), but is looking forward to being a part of the event with Drachman Feutz.
She believes the My Team Triumph program is perfect for Josh Iloreta and would love to travel with the organization to other races.
“I know he’s excited,” she said.
When Drachman Feutz learned of My Team Triumph coming to Kauai, she offered to help Josh Iloreta cross this year’s finish line.
“I told Jason I would love to be a part of pushing Josh,” she said. “I said it would be an honor to run with Josh.”
“If I can run to help someone else experience this marathon, I want to be part of that,” she added
Drachman Feutz is a veteran runner and triathlete. But pushing Josh, who weighs about 100 pounds, and his custom three-wheeled racer that weighs another 35 pounds, calls for upper body strength.
“This is going to be one of the more challenging things I’m going to do in my running career,” she said.
They have been able to do some training together.
“It went really well,” she said.“It was a smoother ride than I thought it was going to be.”
Drachman Feutz said she plans to take it nice and steady.
“I want to make sure he’s as comfortable as possible,” she said. “For me, that’s what it’s all about. It’s about what Josh wants and making sure we get him across the finish.”
Alisna said she is confident her daughter will have a wonderful experience in the half marathon.
She is telling family and friends that when they see Mundon on the course, “make sure you scream her name.”
She believes Jahnei has the potential to do more.
“I have high hopes for her,” she said. “Maybe she can run in her own marathon one day.”
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Bill Buley, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or bbuley@thegardenisland.com.
