New Beginnings

Making his first trip to the National Veterans Golden Age Games is 57-year-old Bruce Johnson, from Los Banos, Calif., a combat-wounded Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam, and a former POW.
“I had broken my back seven months ago; I was in the Palo Alto VA Health Care System, Livermore Division, in a wheelchair and down to 103 pounds. The doctors, nurses, and (coach) Kathy Kelly gave me inspiration to keep going. They made me realize that I could make the best of my situation.
“Kathy told me about the Games and asked if I wanted to compete, I thought she was crazy. But she convinced me I could do it; she gave me a goal and a lot of support.”
Johnson started training for the events by pushing himself back and forth around the medical center in his wheelchair. “I’m now doing 3000 to 4000 reps a day with weights. They have to make me stop.” Johnson is not new to competitive sports. As a senior in high school, he qualified as an alternate on the swimming team in the 1964 Olympics held in Tokyo. He also coached the Stanford University water polo team from 1985 - 1990. Johnson will be competing in pentathlon, billiards (nineball), and shuffleboard. He is hoping to compete in swimming next year.

Opening Ceremonies

This year’s torch carrier at the Opening Ceremonies was Adrienne Mohammed, 2002 George Gangi Inspiration Award recipient.