More than 4,200 athletes from 166 countries will participate in
the London Paralympics, 60 years after a Jewish doctor who
escaped Nazi Germany founded the Paralympics in a small town
nearby. It's not an exaggeration to describe Eva Löffler as the
living legacy of Paralympic sports. "I feel very connected with
the movement," said Löffler, who is serving as the mayor of the
Paralympic village in London. She has a knack for telling
gripping anecdotes, one of the reasons she was named the games'
ambassador for the past and the future. But her connection to
the games goes even deeper. Her father was Sir Ludwig Guttmann,
a trailblazer for the Paralympic Games, and someone who is
likely to come up in discussions with Löffler as the games get
underway. "If he was in London with us, he would be so proud,"
Löffler said during a presentation. "His dream has become a
reality." On Wednesday, the 14th Summer Paralympics - the global
athletic competition for athletes with disabilities - get
underway. All told, 503 competit