By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
AFTER staring down one of his greatest fears, nothing daunts Gateway Industries worker Mark Hutton.
He bears the scars of being bullied for much of his life at former schools and worksites.
Yet he chose – after some prompting from his mentor and Special Olympics manager Anne Monaghan – to speak in front of 1400-plus students at Mazenod College school assembly last year about ‘respect for all’ – including for people with disabilities.
“I told them we don’t want people to feel sorry for us. We want them to respect us.”
Beforehand, Hutton – who has a mild intellectual disability – wondered if the kids would listen to him or mock him, but instead they applauded him.
One student said it was the best speech he’d heard at the school.
“It was the most nerve-wracking thing I’ve been through, then it was just phenomenal adrenalin,” Hutton said.
“Since I’ve done it, everything has opened up.”
Recently he has addressed students at Caulfield Grammar, guests at his employer’s AGM, and even fronted BHP’s CEO and board of directors to thank them for sponsoring the Special Olympics.
That’s pretty good for someone who was once too shy to speak in front of most people because he felt “different”.
Bullying – or rather, stopping it in its tracks – has become a passion, perhaps even supplanting his 30-year love affair with basketball.
“It scars people. Even when you get older you remember it.
“I want to go around and do public speaking on people with disabilities, to respect us as normal people, as workers and as sportsmen.
“We all do the hard yards. If I can make people realise people with disabilities struggle out there if they don’t have support and social activities… that’s my goal.”
At his past workplaces, Hutton was on the “back foot”.
He’d been taunted for being overweight, called names he can’t repeat and, basically, felt left out and depressed.
Working 11-hour days, he was being berated for mistakes but receiving little guidance.
He didn’t speak out for fear of losing his job or inflaming the bullies.
“When you’re different, you get picked on. You’re on your own.”
His current employer, Gateway Industries in Dandenong, has been the first to make him feel welcome.
He feels “safe and comfortable” enough to work unsupervised without feeling overwhelmed.
He and 47 other staff with disabilities mow lawns, tend parks, pick up litter and package items for councils and businesses.
Established by Rotary in 1983, the enterprise states its charter is to help its workers “build a quality of life”.
Hutton said Gateway – where he’s met his girlfiend Crystal – has changed his life. His parents tell him he’s become more mature.
“I accept who I am and to respect others that struggle worse then me. If I didn’t find Gateway, I’d be unemployed.”
This week, Hutton will play guard for the state’s basketball side in his ninth Special Olympics national championships.
He wasn’t sure he could make it, having overcome age as well as two left ankle reconstructions and a snapped Achilles tendon.
These are injuries enough to drive most sportspeople into retirement, he said.
For him, they are a “rough trot” though each reconstruction cost him six months’ factory work as well as speed and agility.
His ankle is held together with a bolt.
After his first reconstruction, he lost 25 kilograms on doctor’s advice to take weight off his ankle.
That made the second reconstruction particularly daunting.
“My doctors and coaches said to me ’you may not come back to play’.”
Hutton’s Special Olympics career now spans 25 years – he’s played the sport since he was eight.
This week, he’s playing for a spot on his second national Special Olympics team at the world championships in LA next year, having represented Australia at the Shanghai games in 2007.
That was “a dream come true”, and this will perhaps be his last chance to repeat the dose.
“The reason I keep going is I love it with a passion. I love being involved in it, with my teammates, with my coaches.
“It gives me confidence.”
The achievements keep racking up for Hutton though his main goal is for “people to be accepted in society”.
He was a recent finalist in the Special Olympics’ national leadership award, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver award, this month he met state Governor Alex Chernov and was recently selected for Victoria Country’s open-age side in under-18 championships.
Hutton has been scrambling for sponsors to raise the $2800 needed to take part at this week’s championships.
Despite donations from his employer Gateway Industries, he’s still a “bit short” of the fundraising target.
“A lot of us are on low incomes, some can’t afford to pay themselves – they need help from parents and carers.
“I am hoping more companies get behind and show a bit of interest in the Special Olympics – it’s not for profit and doesn’t get money from the government.
“We’d love the media to get behind us. I’d love to talk on the TV news so they can do a report for us to get sponsors.”
Now that’s something Hutton wouldn’t have said 18 months ago.
To sponsor Hutton’s sports campaign, call Alan Warwick at Gateway Industries on 9793 998.
