MONROE — It was a routine trip to the dentist office when inspiration was right on the wall.
It was summer 2016. Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez, who was 16 years old at the time, was fresh off the U.S. Olympic stage. As a member of the U.S. Olympics gymnastics team, she helped her team take gold and grabbed a silver in her own performance on the balance beam.
Hernandez’ hometown of Old Bridge organized a parade for the Olympian, her image is on a billboard in the township, and her photograph happened to be on the wall of KidZdent, which Hernandez goes to.
In the sitting room at the dentist’s office, Sri Alathur turned to his daughter Rhea and pointed to the photo of Hernandez.
“I said, ‘Look Rhea, you can be like her,’” he said, adding to live so close to someone so inspirational is wonderful.
Unbeknownst to the Alathurs at the time, Rhea, 15, would get a chance to follow in similar footsteps as her idol.
In July, Rhea, who has autism, will be one of two gymnasts from New Jersey competing in the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle from July 1-6.
More than 4,000 athletes and coaches representing 50 state programs and the District of Columbia, along with the support of tens of thousands of volunteers and spectators, will compete in 14 Olympic-type team and individual sports.
Rekha said her daughter’s selection for the team all happened within a year or so with the state overall championship and additional trials.
“I felt thrilled and excited,” Rhea said of when she learned last August she was selected for the team.
Rhea said in gymnastics, her favorite moves are back handsprings, back walkovers and aerials.
The same year Hernandez competed in the U.S. Olympics, Rhea started training with Shannon Schafer at the Schafer Sports Center in Ewing, which provides programs for children with special needs.
Rekha said when they first learned about Special Olympics New Jersey, they initially were looking for a figure skating program for Rhea.
“We didn’t even think about gymnastics,” she said. “Rhea had been doing gymnastics since she was five years old, but it wasn’t something we thought about for the Special Olympics.”
Sri said his daughter enjoys sports and excels at individual sports.
“Rhea excels in a scripted, structured environment,” he said, adding his daughter is excellent with remembering dates.
Along with gymnastics, Rhea also loves to figure skate, swim, sing, dance, act and play the piano.
Rhea will be the youngest member of some 60 athletes from New Jersey heading to the games in July. She will compete in floor exercise, uneven bars, beam and vault.
Preparing for the games, Rhea follows a strict diet, trains at Schafer and follows an exercise plan with her father.
“The training is intense,” Sri said. “In July, Rhea will travel with her team and stay in dorms at an Olympic village. We will be there as spectators and cheer her on.”
The Alathurs said they have been blessed to have found Schafer and her program.
“She is a great coach,” Sri said. “She looks beyond one’s disability and she really focuses on the strengths of the child. That is what we love about all this.”
As for any nerves, the Alathurs said they think they are more nervous than their daughter, who they said never complains and is hard working.
Rekha said she is more concerned about her daughter’s safety. Sri said he knows his daughter’s whole routine, which he said is nerve-wracking to watch.
Rhea is a ninth grader at the Newgrange School in Hamilton. Her classmates have made posters wishing her the best at the games.
As for meeting her idol, Sri said his daughter has yet to cross paths with Hernandez.
“We have been trying to get our schedules aligned,” he said. “Laurie has already sent over a signed autographed photo.”
In the meantime, she was honored with a proclamation from the Monroe Township Council on June 6.
To help Rhea fundraise, visit www.classy.org/fundraiser/1175068.
Contact Kathy Chang at [email protected].