Great start and story, Only. Pretty hard to top it so I'll be happy if I can
just perhaps compliment it a little.
A great inspiration to me early on was Bob Mathias, decathlon Olympic
champion (twice!!). After watching the "Bob Mathias" movie, more like a
self-acted documentary, I was enrathed by this man and what he overcame
as a kid with polio. May sound silly but that movie touched and moved me in
a way that I still think about to this day; and it brought tears to my eye
(I bet it would yours, too...).
It made me believe that anything in life is possible. And that one should never give up. Mathias was told he would probably never walk again, yet, years later he would walk to the top of the podium to accept gold medal honors at the Olympic Games, after excelling in an array of wide-ranging sports. Really unheard of what with his background and previous crippling condition. Moreover, he repeated the feat again.
Mathias went on to serve in the Marine Corps and as a very popular Congressman.
I had the priviledge of meeting him in 1967-68 at the Tulare (northern Cal area)
county fair. I was in charge of a team of Marines to raise and lower the flag
(colors) and escort event dignitaries (including California beauty queens). At
a special presentation, Mathias did his political and representative duties, then
shook each one of our hands as he went down our ranks.
I've shaken the hands of M. Ali, Arnold, Joe Frazier, and Floyd Patterson, among
others (including other famous Marines, and everyday basic veterans) but the
handshake from Bob Mathias was THE most definitive of my life.
Bob Mathias' inspirational story was my (biggest) inspiration.
He died earlier this year. To me, he was bigger than life.