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Jesse Rohrer remembers the first time he learned about Special Olympics. It was the spring of 1997, when he was 7, and a teacher suggested he try track and field at his local club.

“They started me off with athletics like the 50-meter dash, standing and running long jump, and softball throw,” says Jesse, 36, a kitchen steward at UPMC Harrisburg’s Seven Bridges Café. “It all started there, and I enjoyed it.”

Although he didn’t realize it then, he was beginning an athletic career that would lead to him winning a gold medal in alpine skiing at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

Today, the gold medalist and Special Olympics ambassador serves as an inspiration to others and an advocate for people with special abilities.

“Special Olympics is important for athletes and people who have intellectual disabilities,” Jesse says. “It gives them the ability to show their ability.”

‘I Have an Ability’

Before joining Special Olympics, Jesse was a shy first grader. But competing and practicing with other athletes helped Jesse, who was born with autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), come out of his shell.

“Eventually, I opened up, and I enjoyed it,” says Jesse, who faced bullying in school because of misconceptions about autism and ADHD. “When I got to meet new people and make new friends, that really helped. I do not have a disability. I actually have an ability. That’s what I learned through Special Olympics.”

‘The Ultimate Dream’

After his introduction to alpine skiing in the 10th grade, Jesse took to the sport quickly. “I’m built for speed,” he says. “I pretty much picked it up right from the start.”

His road to the world stage began at the 2023 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Winter Games, held at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Competing at the novice level, Jesse won gold medals in the giant slalom, speed slalom, and super giant slalom (super-G) events.

That fall, a regional Special Olympics director looking for potential alpine skiing competitors for the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025 reached out to Jesse.

“She called me and asked me if I knew anybody who competed in skiing on novice,” he says. “I told her, ‘You’re talking to one of them right now.’”

When she asked if he was interested in going to Italy for the Special Olympics World Games, Jesse immediately said yes. “Oh, my goodness — my heart was racing,” he says. “That was the ultimate dream.”

But first, he had to qualify. After competing in the United States team trials in April 2024, he thought he’d fallen short. Then, that July, good news arrived: He’d made the team.

“It was a huge weight off my shoulders,” he says.

‘The Best Feeling in the World’

To prepare for the World Winter Games, Jesse joined a gym and spent the summer and fall of 2024 building his endurance on the treadmill and through strength training for his arms, legs, abdominals, and other muscles. When winter came around, he began skiing twice a week in preparation for Italy.

To accommodate his training, his supervisor, John Noonan, executive chef at UPMC Harrisburg, adjusted his work schedule. Co-workers also picked up some of his shifts.

“This was very important to him, and obviously, it was a great honor for us to have a future gold medalist on our staff,” John says. “So, we wanted to do whatever we could to help him out.”

A few days before the World Winter Games began in March 2025, Jesse and his parents left for Italy. Jesse enjoyed spending time with his American teammates and meeting and trading pins with Special Olympians from other countries.

Jesse was also assessed at the intermediate level — one level up from where he’d previously competed. Over the course of five days, he participated in preliminaries and finals for slalom, super-G, and giant slalom.

On Thursday, March 13, Jesse competed in the finals for super-G, an event that requires making turns while traveling downhill at high speeds. Although the slopes in Italy were very different than what he was used to back home, he completed the course in 47.77 seconds — “the fastest I’ve ever gone,” he says.

His time was also 0.33 seconds faster than his next-closest competitor, earning him the gold medal.

“When I found out that I won gold, I was very proud of myself,” Jesse says. “I said to myself, ‘I did it.’ My parents were with me, and when they saw me stand up on the podium and receive my gold medal, they were really proud of me. They were really happy for me.”

Standing on the top level of the podium with his gold medal was “the best feeling in the world,” he says.

Back home in Harrisburg, Jesse’s co-workers were eagerly awaiting news from Italy. When they learned he’d won the gold medal, it set off a celebration.

“Our manager was refreshing his computer pretty much every five, 10 seconds,” John says. “He sent out a group text, then he made sure he came out and told all of us, and everybody in the kitchen just kind of erupted. It was a great feeling to see somebody from our team accomplish something that nobody else has, as far as I’m aware of, in this hospital.”

‘Jesse Is Definitely One of the Most Important People Here’

Special Olympics taught Jesse teamwork, which prepared him for his job at UPMC.

As a kitchen steward, he’s always moving. He’s the lead dishwasher for the cafeteria and removes cardboard and trash. Twice a week, he helps unload the delivery truck with supplies for the kitchen.

“I would describe Jesse’s role here in the food service department as extremely vital,” John says. “Anyone that’s ever worked in a restaurant knows when the dishwashing team stops, the whole restaurant stops. So, Jesse is definitely one of the most important people here.”

Besides his day-to-day responsibilities, Jesse’s personality helps lift his co-workers. Long gone are the days of the shy 7-year-old. He’s now the lifeblood of the cafeteria — cracking dad jokes, quoting movie lines, and doing whatever he can to brighten people’s days.

“What I enjoy the most about my job is making people smile,” he says.

‘There’s Absolutely Nothing That I Can’t Overcome’

Since winning gold in Turin, Jesse has become something of a celebrity around UPMC Harrisburg. You can find a shadow box celebrating his achievement outside the elevators on the 11th floor of the hospital, and John created a specialty burger in the cafeteria in honor of Jesse’s gold medal.

Jesse has even signed autographs for people — but is taking his notoriety in stride.

“Fame is a four-letter word, like tape, or zoom, or face,” he says. “But ultimately, what matters is what we do with it.”

Jesse has chosen to use his fame to inspire others as a Special Olympics ambassador. Many people don’t realize that Special Olympics is year-round and offers a wide range of sports.

“I feel very special to spread the word about Special Olympics and get younger kids involved,” he says. “They don’t have disabilities — they have abilities.”

According to John, Jesse also inspires others around the hospital with his hard work and positivity. He’s always there to offer a friendly word, a joke, or even a hug if needed.

“I would say his gold medal kind of reflects on how big a heart he has,” John says. “A lot of people don’t get to see all the little things he does every day to make sure everybody’s happy.

“He’s very keen on picking people up when somebody’s having a rough day,” John adds. “He definitely brightens the room regardless of who it is or how many people are involved.”

Jesse reached another milestone in September 2025 — his 15-year work anniversary at UPMC Harrisburg. This proud moment surely stemmed from joining the Special Olympics almost 30 years ago and the self-confidence he has gained as a Special Olympian.

“There’s absolutely nothing that I can’t overcome,” Jesse says. “What keeps me going is the confidence and the ability to just do my best in Special Olympics and outside of Special Olympics — and most importantly, have fun.”