聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Carlyle's-and Canada's-Carter Morrison returned home from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro to a hometown welcome in his honour-from the front seat of a fire truck and accompanied by an RCMP and Carlyle Fire & Rescue escort, as well wishers lined Carlyle's Main Street on Tuesday, August 9, mere hours after Carter's return from Brazil.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Twelve-year-old Carter-along with Team Canada flagbearer and Olympic gold medallist, Rosie MacLennan-led Team Canada into the 80,000-seat Rio's Maracana stadium for the Rio 2016 opening ceremony, watched by a global audience numbering in the billions. Carter was only one of five Canadian ambassadors chosen to represent Ronald McDonald Houses in Rio and one of nearly 100 McDonald's Olympic Kids who represented the charity at the Games of the XXXI Olympiad.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Carter, who was born with achondroplasia, has spent time in Ronald McDonald Houses in each of the three prairie provinces since he was a baby. He was the only young person in Canada who was asked outright to represent the charity in Rio.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淗e was one of five kids from Canada and one of about 100 from throughout the world who represented Ronald McDonald Houses at the Olympics,鈥� says his dad, Trevor Morrison, who accompanied his son to Rio. 鈥淎 lot of the kids had to enter contests or otherwise compete for the chance to go, but Carter was asked to go without having to do any of that.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e're really proud of Carter and his selection to represent Canada in Rio,鈥� says Carlyle Mayor Wayne Orsted.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐arter is a kid who loves sports-all sports,鈥� says Nicole Currie of Carlyle's The Pearl Boutique, one of the parade's organizers. 鈥淗e has the best hand-eye coordination of any kid I've ever seen. I can't think of a more deserving kid to represent Canada at the Olympics than him.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When asked, Currie says organizing Carter's welcome home was surprisingly easy. 鈥淚 think everyone likes Carter and everyone is so proud of his achievement,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen I went to the RCMP detachment to ask about an official escort, I saw (Fire Chief) Don Van Meer there, asking about the same thing. So I wasn't the only person who wanted to give Carter a special welcome home.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he RCMP were right on board, businesses, individuals, everyone was sharing the news and spreading the word.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Before posing for pictures and signing autographs, Carter thanked the crowd, saying: 鈥淚t was really cool to be in Rio and I'd like to thank all of you for supporting me.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Main Street merchant Ken King of King's, says: 鈥淗e makes us all proud to be from Carlyle鈥�
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