Bobby Martinez – Sports Writer
NEW HAVEN — It has been a life full of ups and downs for 26-year-old senior Steven Lorrius but he has never given up on his dreams to one day run in the Olympics.
As a baby, Lorrius was born with a bad kidney which hospitalized him for two months straight. During that time, Lorrius said his family would pray countless hours in hopes that Lorrius would escape this issue unscathed. Miraculously said Lorrius, he was healed and left the hospital but left with bad news, Lorrius said doctors told his family that would never be able to play sports his entire life due to a possible mishaps with a kidney.
Lorrius not only had personal health issues, his mom had experienced four strokes and his father had two heart attacks alongside brain cancer. In a household with eight siblings, Lorrius said it was tough on so many levels growing up on Connecticut Avenue in Stamford, Conn.
“Growing up was really hard,” said Lorrius, “There was a lot of drugs, killings and it was tough. There was nights where my parents didn’t pay for electricity or heat. So we had to all of our clothes on and be next to the oven just to stay warm. When you have eight kids, it’s hard to feed all eight kids especially when your family just got to the country.”
As time went on, Lorrius started to enjoy racing. His siblings have all participated in track growing up and Lorrius took after them he said. When Lorrius reached high school, times started to become much more difficult for him especially with his academics said Lorrius.
After high school, Lorrius attended Porter and Chester Institute where he received an automotive degree while being employed at Target. Lorrius grew up with a passion not only for track, but also for cars as well. After receiving his automotive degree, Lorrius furthered his education at Norwalk Community College for an additional two years.
He then came to Southern with hopes of running for the track team until one thing led to another where he said was a dark moment in his life.
“I remember this day like it was yesterday,” he said, “ my friend and I was going to practice and it was the first day we were going to do speed training. I had my spikes and I was ready to go. Then the coach called and told me my eligibility was messed up and said I took too long in mechanic school and at NCC so I basically used up all my time to run in college.”
On top of Lorrius not being able to run, personal issues occurred that affected him a lot he said at the same time.
“About a week later after the news that I couldn’t run,” said Lorrius, “My uncle that was living with me died. That hit me even harder and also about a week after that, a longtime friend from my neighborhood committed suicide. Also, two weeks after that, another friend of mine died due to a heart failure.”
In addition to Lorrius not being able to run and also close friends and family passing, Lorrius said he was going through a depression which led to him drinking. Lorrius said he managed to get through those tough times by putting on his spikes and hitting the track he said.
“I got through it all by running, “he said. “ I threw everything into training because I had nothing to lose so I just kept training hard.”
Lorrius currently represents his country Haiti in track. He said running for his country is one of his greatest accomplishments to date.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” said Lorrius. “When you line up out there and the crowd is cheering for you, it’s the best feeling in the world and there is nothing like it.”
Another accomplishment for Lorrius is being ranked in the world for the 200-meter. Lorrius is pursuing a degree in business management where he hopes to one day open up an Audi car dealership as well as a barbershop and a hair salon.
Lorrius said his motivation is the little kids who look up to him and hopes he can help motivate them to achieve anything possible.
“I started a nonprofit to help teach kids how to run in the summer,” said Lorrius. “I am also working on one now and also do charities for my country.”
Lorrius will be running in the World Relays Meet in May where all the fastest people in the world will participate in the Bahamas’s said Lorrius.
