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Welcoming Home Special Olympics Athletes

FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Aaron Keller was all smiles as he stood outside the Mountain Top Hose Company in Luzerne County. He tells Newswatch 16 the medals...

FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Aaron Keller was all smiles as he stood outside the Mountain Top Hose Company in Luzerne County.

He tells Newswatch 16 the medals around his neck have something to do with the smiles.

Medals he won at the Special Olympic games in Abu Dhabi.

"I competed in the 1500, the 10k and the 4 by 1 relay. I almost cried when I got that gold medal," said Keller.

Aaron and his mother were waiting for a parade to start in the Mountain Top area to welcome Aaron home and celebrate his accomplishments.

"This was all the community and we're just so blessed that so many people have stood with Aaron and our family and helped him mature to this level," said Donna Keller, Aaron's mom.

Mountain Top wasn't the only community celebrating special athletes.

In Clinton County, there was a big parade to welcome home the Hawks volleyball team which won gold too.

In Palmerton, Carbon County, fans prepared to celebrate with two hometown Special Olympic athletes Matthew Anthony and Delina Rodrigues.

Anthony brought home a gold medal in bowling from the Special Olympic Unified Games in Las Vegas earlier this month and Rodrigues won two gold medals in powerlifting in Abu Dhabi.

"This is awesome I can't believe the incredible support of this community and to have this big event here in the park like this beautiful park beautiful day couldn't have asked for more," said Delina's brother, Bo Rodrigues.

The celebration for these two included a parade through town and hundreds waiting to congratulate them at the park with signs and American flags.

Anthony says he couldn't have asked for a better welcome home.

"It's amazing it touches my heart and makes me feel really good as a citizen that I'm part of this whole town ever since my first beginnings and now look at me today. Success and everyone's caring for all of us. It just makes me feel happy," said Anthony.

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