As a confident, athletic six-year-old, Riley Windeler (HSW ’14) knew victory was close when he stepped to the starting line of his first-ever foot race alongside his friends. And then he came in last.

“I was halfway across the field, and they were already crossing the finish line,” said Windeler, who has hypochondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. “It was the first time I realized that something was different about me.”

For Windeler, that race represented one of his first encounters with limitations that can come with being a little person, but it didn’t dampen his spirit or his love of competition.

That experience and others that followed inspired Windeler to write Tommy’s Race, a children’s book published by Caitlin Press that explores resilience and opportunity through the eyes of a young boy with dwarfism. Tommy’s story closely mirrors Windeler’s.

Growing up in the small community of Horsefly, B.C., Windeler spent his free time outdoors adventuring with friends who had known him his whole life and accepted him as he was. He also played minor hockey and baseball alongside his peers, and while he may not have been the star player, he was always a valued member of the team. In his final year, he was awarded the Williams Lake Minor Hockey Association’s “most inspirational” and “most dedicated” player awards for his performance over the years.

Tommy’s Race, written by alum Riley Windeler, is a children’s book that follows the journey of Tommy, a little boy with dwarfism.

Alum wins gold at World Dwarf Games

He yearned for the thrill of victory, though, and when he attended the World Dwarf Games in Toronto in 2001, he got it winning an event with athletes of his own stature.

“It took going to my first dwarf athletic event… and winning at different events, competing against other people my own size to understand that there are challenges the come from being different, but there are also opportunities,” he said.

Finding community through Little People of America conferences and dwarf athletics events helped counter the daily reminders of his differences. For days at a time, he found himself immersed with people who looked like him and shared similar experiences.

“I felt like the majority, not the minority,” he said.

Windeler has been a board director for both the Little People of British Columbia and the Dwarf Athletic Association of Canada. He was also one of the founding board members for the Dwarf Athletic Association of Canada. The next World Dwarf Games are slated for 2027 in Australia and Windeler hopes to attend.

Promoting acceptance and inclusion

His passion for advocacy has shaped his education and career. Windeler graduated from Thompson Rivers University’s Human Service Worker diploma program in 2014 and worked in support roles and as an educational assistant before settling in Kamloops, where he holds a seasonal role at the Rocky Mountaineer.

“I’ve always been someone that wanted to help others,” he said, adding that these days, he is focused on helping Tommy’s Race reach as many young readers as possible.

He hopes Tommy’s story will eventually find a home in classrooms and school libraries across the province and beyond, sparking conversations about inclusion and understanding. Illustrated by Nora Kelly, it is aimed primarily at children ages three to 10.

“The biggest thing is for children to realize that no matter what their difference is, they still have a variety of opportunities to succeed,” Windeler said. “Those differences may come with challenges, and some things may have to be done differently, but there are still opportunities.”

More adventures ahead for Tommy

Although Tommy’s Race is his first published book, Windeler has ideas for more, drawing on his experiences as a little person to inspire Tommy’s adventures. He would also like to write an autobiography, exploring his life with dwarfism, which includes competing in athletics and being an advocate for greater understanding and accessibility.

Looking back on the journey from a childhood defeat to becoming a published author, Windeler has a simple message for the younger version of himself who inspired Tommy’s story.

“You did it,” he said. “We stuck with it and here we are.”

Just like Tommy learns, one defeat doesn’t mean you stop trying.

Search Tommy’s Race | Caitlin Press to find local retailers.