Jim Thorpe residents honored their town's namesake with a spectacular birthday celebration that included an Olympic torch lighting, a Native American presence, athletic events, a festival, music and Special Olympic heroes.

The Olympic champion would have been 129 years old this year.The birthday celebration was held throughout the community on Saturday, with the formal events occurring at the mausoleum on the east side of the town, where his body rests and at the Jim Thorpe Area High School Stadium, where a regional Special Olympics qualifying event was held.The day's events began at the mausoleum with Ann Marie Fitzpatrick, event coordinator for the birthday celebration, placing a spray of flowers. She is event coordinator with Ray Brader.Five Native Americans played traditional drums and sang during the event. They are Jeff Stevens of Upper Black Eddy, a Seneca; Shawn Haddaway of Maryland, of the Lumbee and Cherokee tribes; Patrick Littlewolf of Albrightsville, of the Tuscarora Nation; Sam Jacobs Bowers of Carlisle, of the Cherokee and Iroquois Tribes; and Krystle Muntz of Dover, Delaware, a member of the Nanticoke Tribe.Don "Wild Eagle" Wuebber of Brodheadsville, also a Native American, spoke and did traditional Native American dancing."This is a great honor for the name of Jim Thorpe," Wuebber said.A highlight was the lighting of the Olympic torch at the stadium.Jim Thorpe Area High School athlete Ben Saxon, a member of the cross-country team, carried the torch half way around the track at the athletic field, then handed it to Special Olympics competitor Ed Enright of the White Haven Center, who walked it to the pedestal where the lighting occurred.Saxon and cross-country team members ran through the streets of Jim Thorpe, crossing under the light in front of the Carbon County Courthouse precisely at noon.A special guest for the birthday celebration was John Thorpe of South Lake Tahoe, California, grandson of the Olympian.He told the gathering at the stadium, "Thank you for keeping my grandpa in your hearts. If he were here, he couldn't be prouder."He told about the symbolism of the various directions, and the importance of the sky, the land and the underground.He led the gathering in a round dance around the mausoleum, during which all those attending formed a large circle holding hands.Many Special Olympic athletes were in attendance for the mausoleum program.Joe Boyle, son of the late Joseph L. Boyle, was introduced to John Thorpe. Joseph L. Boyle was instrumental in bringing the body of the Olympic athlete to the county seat community in the mid-1950s.Mayor Michael Sofranko said of the late Boyle that he was the individual "who really brought this all about."At the Special Olympic kickoff in the Jim Thorpe Olympian Stadium, several national Hall of Fame athletes were in attendance. They included professional football players Carson Long, Greg Skrepenak and Ray Yakavonis; professional wrestler and outstanding college football player Gene Snisky, and national weightlifting champion and former Jim Thorpe Area School District Superintendent Keith "Jake" Boyer.The introduction to the Special Olympics was given by George Bird of Lehighton, an athlete for the Special Olympics who does bowling, boccie and track and field. He also is Carbon County's "Golden Messenger" for the Special Olympics.Snisky attended the event with a gold championship belt for professional wrestling. He placed the belt around the waist of Bird, who raised his hands into the air like a champion competitor.The master of ceremonies for the event was David Rodriguez. He said last year Carbon County sent seven athletes of the national Special Olympics games. This year's national event is in Seattle.Athletes in the Special Olympics were from Carbon County, Luzerne County and the Columbia/Montour Unit.High school cheerleaders, alumni cheerleaders and cheering coaches joined together to cheer on the Special Olympic athletes.A two-day festival was held in the Josiah White Park, which included vendors, music and special activities.