Amy Bockerstette has been in the news recently for being the first person with Down syndrome to compete in a national collegiate athletic championship. But when “Amazing Amy” (as she’s known) teed off, she wasn’t just making history — she was sharing a beautiful moment with her dad.
“I love being with my dad. He’s an amazing guy. He’s my best father ever,” Bockerstette shared with CBS News. And for her dad, Joe, who is also her caddie, the feeling is mutual. “Some of the most fun moments of my life have been on the golf course with her,” he explained.
While Amy gets pleasure from playing the game and being with her dad, there are some other advantages. “I like meeting new friends at the tournaments. I have fun,” said the golfer.
She’s also impressed others along her journey, including pro golfer Gary Woodland. He watched in amazement when Amy made par on the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale, which is renowned for being tricky. In fact her impressive skills led to the video of her achievement being watched over 51 million times.
For Joe, though, the experience has been even more profound:
“You know, you go through early grieving about what you’ve given up with your child with a disability. What I’ve subsequently learned is, that was pretty silly. The lesson there is you just can’t put limits on people there. It was ridiculous for me to think that Amy couldn’t achieve what she’s achieved.”
As Amy continues to live up to her nickname, she’ll hopefully continue to wow people with her abilities. And for her dad, hopefully there will be many more fun times ahead as his daughter continues to take on the golf world.
And today we celebrate...