Jacksonville Paralympian gets hero's welcome

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville neighborhood welcomed home a sports hero Tuesday.

Daryl Walker and his teammates brought home the silver from Rio de Janeiro. He helped the U.S. return to the Paralympics medal stand for the first time in 12 years in the sport of Goalball -- which is specifically designed for the blind or visually impaired.

It’s played on a volleyball-sized court with three athletes on either side. They roll a hard, round-shaped ball as hard as they can to the other side of the court – all while blind-folded. The balls have bells inside, so listening is key.

“It’s my first Paralympic medal and hopefully it won’t be my last,” Walker said with a smile.

From his favorite homemade egg rolls to balloons and patriotic flags, Walker’s friends pulled out all the stops to say “job well done.” They believe his accomplishments, even with a visual impairment, teach a lesson we all should remember.

“He would always be walking from his house to the gym every single day. No excuse for him. He wanted to push and make it,” childhood friend Johnny Soch said.

For the next month, Walker plans on taking some much needed down time to relax with family and friends, then he’ll go back to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to start training again.

The Florida Association of Blind Athletes is hosting a community event this Sunday to celebrate Walker’s silver medal. It’s from 1-5 p.m. in the Cuba Hunter Gym on Bedford Road.

Cox Media Group