Photo: ZEBRA Photography
By Kim Constantinesco
Surprises in life are inescapable. And, sometimes they arrive like a sucker-punch to the face.
That’s how Nick Watson, 47, felt when he and his wife, Delphine, learned that their oldest son Rio, 13, was diagnosed with 1q44 deletion denovo syndrome, a rare chromosome disorder characterized by seizures, severe learning disabilities, gross and fine motor disabilities, sensory integration dysfunction, and no verbal skills.
Rather than hide their grief, the family took their pain and set an intention to convert it into an offering. The Watson’s, who have lived in Dubai for almost 20 years, decided to compete in endurance events with Rio riding along for every kilometer.
Their main mission is to promote awareness and inclusion of people with disabilities in Dubai, and to inspire the community to take responsibility for their own health. But, the effort influences close to home, too.
Nick has pulled, pushed, and cycled with Rio by his side in four half Ironman triathlons, a marathon, three open water swims, two stair climbs, and a trail run among a host of other heart-racing events.
Tethered together, they’re known as “Team Angel Wolf,” and they defiantly advance toward finish lines, helping others realize that families with disabilities can bypass limits, too.
Photo: Barry Morgan Photography
A Unique Challenge to a Growing Family
Nick was born in the United Kingdom, but moved to France with his family at 16 years old. While studying art and design at Toulouse Art School, he discovered his passion for triathlons, and health and fitness. His grandma bought him his first triathlon bike and he began cranking out the kilometers. After completing his tenure with the British Royal Marines, he got certified as a personal trainer, a sports specific coach, a sports therapy practitioner, and an Ironman coach.
He met Delphine in the fitness/sports industry, and together, they decided to uproot their lives and move to Dubai.
“I think it was more a matter of opportunity,” Nick said. “We wanted to find somewhere that was developing and Dubai 20 years ago was building a growing culture of health and fitness. Now there are so many health clubs and fitness events, but in 2003, we actually opened up the first personal training center in the area.”
Around that time, the couple learned that they were pregnant with their first child. Nick dreamed of one day racing with his children, but six months after Rio was born, he had his first “episode.”
“We got him out of the bath one day and he went into this kind of very sloppy state, almost stopped breathing, and his fingers and mouth went blue,” Nick said. “It was his first seizure and it lasted six or seven minutes. Our journey to figuring out his condition took four years. We traveled back to Europe and had all kinds of specialists looking at him here in Dubai.”
With severe special needs and an eventual diagnosis of 1q44 deletion denovo syndrome, it took Nick a long time to adjust to the level of parenting and caretaking that Rio required. Still, he and Delphine fell in love with Rio’s “delightful happy soul.” Rio’s communication skills are limited, and everything is done through repetition, according to Nick.
Photo: Team Angel Wolf/Facebook
“Everything he learns is done by linking one word to another. So, we do lots of nursery rhymes, and ‘happy birthday’ singing.”
With the joy Rio was bringing them, the Watosn’s decided to add onto their family. Tia, now 9, was born and brought her “lovely free-spirited bouncy” personality to the table.
Racing with Rio
Life was moving along, and then another sucker-punch came. Doctors found a large lump in Nick’s colon. After they removed the six-centimeter tumor, Nick told Delphine he wanted to get back onto the triathlon scene and do an Ironman. He spent a few months preparing for it, but life’s daily responsibilities derailed him rather consistently.
Sensing her husband needed extra motivation, Delphine made a brilliant suggestion.
“I woke up one morning and my wife turned around and said, ‘Have you ever thought about racing with Rio?’
Nick immediately embraced the idea and signed up for a half Ironman in 2014, requesting two bibs — one for himself and one for his son. Nick swam while towing Rio in a kayak, he cycled with Rio in an adapted seat on a specialized bike, and he ran while pushing Rio in an adapted wheelchair.
It went so well that they decided to race every weekend in the 2015/2016 season, covering 1,130 kilometers and even doing the Emirate Tower stair climb, a brutal 52-floor hike with Rio strapped to Nick’s back using an adapted baby wrap.
So, how does Rio do during these long distance events?
“We’re out there for seven or eight hours at times, and he laughs throughout the whole course, and he’ll still be giggling at the end,” Nick said.
As every athlete and fan scream things like, “Go, Rio! Go Nick! Go Team Angel! You’re inspirational,” the challenge lies in keeping Rio fueled throughout the race.
“Rio doesn’t seem to eat too much when we’re out there, so we try to get as much fluids and foods down him as possible when we make special stops for him,” Nick said. “There’s just so much going on in front of him. Something Rio does is called ‘stimming.’ He’ll absorb a lot of the environment that’s around him. I think his body is switching on to what’s going on around him as opposed to the necessity of eating.”
Photo: Team Angel Wolf/Facebook
Sport For All
Nick isn’t the only one racing with Rio, either. Tia took it upon herself last year to suggest participating in a duathlon with her brother.
“She’s inspiring a lot of children,” Nick said. “We show that video when we go speak at schools, and that kids always say the best part of our visit is Tia’s video.”
Rio also did his first solo race — a short duathlon, which he trained for with a few walks and bike rides.
The good news is the Watson’s have never been denied entry into a race because others understand that the family is trying to make sure people with disabilities and their families are included.
“Dubai is one of those countries trying to make lots of changes, and I’m sure in the near future, there will be lots of events for disabled people.”
Off the race course, the Watson’s are doing their part to spread the word about inclusion. They’ve reached over 10,000 students with inspirational school talks and 2,000 employees through motivational corporate speaking engagements.
This coming year, they plan to launch the “Together We Can” program, which includes Team Angel Wolf purchasing seven specialized disability running chairs so other athletes can enjoy the benefits of running. They will also launch “Beach Blast,” which will involve purchasing seven floating wheelchairs so kids of all abilities can enjoy the warm waters Dubai has to offer.
‘Get Out. Live Life.’
The Watson’s appear to have a strong handle on maneuvering through life with a child who has a disability. However, even they can fall prey to perceived limitations.
Photo: Team Angel Wolf/Facebook
The family was always hesitant to travel outside of Dubai due to concerns with how Rio would transition into other environments such as airplanes and hotels rooms.
This past summer, they tested the waters by immersing Rio into alternative activities such as horseback riding and indoor skydiving. Then they took a real leap of faith and boarded an airplane.
“As parents in the past, we’ve always been apprehensive thinking can we do this or that,” Nick said. “We often wondered, will we be okay traveling? I think Rio’s proved us so wrong in everything that we’ve done. When we flew, there were no worries. We stayed in different hotels and we ate out at different restaurants. There have been these preconceptions and concerns from us saying, ‘Oh no, we shouldn’t do that.'”
His advice for parents with a special needs child?
“I would tell parents to let the child lead you. Don’t be apprehensive. Get out. Live life,” Nick said. “There shouldn’t be any reason to hold the reins. Get out there and enjoy the moment versus always being concerned. The child will surprise you.”
Based on Nick’s advice, who knows what new and exciting start line you’ll be led to next.
