Hometown Hero

I was browsing through the books at Price Chopper -as I often do when I’m supposed to be food shopping- and noticed that Jason McElwain is now a published author.

You probably remember Jason McElwain. If you don’t recognize the name, you know the video. Three years ago he stepped onto the court for the last four minutes of a high school basketball game in western New York and scored 20 points. The autistic 17 year-old, known as J-Mac, then became famous when the tape of his amazing performance was shown on every TV newscast in America —but it’s on YouTube where J-Mac has really shined:  the video has been viewed millions of times. And it was there that J-Mac achieved a level of fame that didn’t exist ten years ago: he became an internet celebrity.

These days McElwain works part-time in the bakery at Wegman’s in the town where he grew up.  That’s kind of funny if you think about it. In one aisle you’ll find his book and over in the corner of the store is J-Mac himself baking rolls or something. You could probably even walk over and get his to sign it for you.