Inspiring runner refuses to stop short of state final finish line

Of all the inspiring moments of determination you see in the remaining months of 2011, it's unlikely any can top the heroics turned in by one high school senior Monday at an unusually humid cross country race in Louisiana.

By Cameron Smith

Watch this video:
http://news.yahoo.com/video/neworleanswwltvchannel4-15751007/st-paul-s-student-doesn-t-quit-crawls-to-finish-line-27273616.html

As reported by WWL-TV and the New Orleans Times-Picayune, among other sources, Covington (La.) St. Paul's School senior cross country star Christian Bergeron's body failed during the final yards of the Louisiana Class 5A boys cross country championship race on Monday. Yet, while the runner collapsed again and again over the final 25 yards of the race, his spirit never wavered, with the teenager eventually dragging himself across the finish line on his hands and knees to complete the final cross country race of his high school career, as you can see above.
As soon as Bergeron crossed the finish line, he collapsed into the arms of his older brother, Joey Bergeron, who was on hand to watch his sibling's final race.
"I was trying to move my legs, but it just wasn't working," Bergeron told WWL-TV. "I tried standing and they just buckled underneath me, so that's when I resorted to crawling. I don't remember hearing anything. When I crossed the line, I saw my brother, and he picked me up and brought me to the bench."
Determining exactly how many times Bergeron collapsed in the closing yards is a difficult task, since he appeared to resurrect himself more than once only to fall over backwards. Still, none of those setbacks stopped the runner from finishing the race, even if he did lose about 30 seconds from his projected finish time, dropping him from 13th place to 39th in the process.

Those results were hardly anyone's focus after the teenager finally made it across the line. Rather, they were concerned with his welfare, with his mother, who happens to be a nurse, rushing down to the track and transporting her son to a nearby hospital in a golf cart.
According to the Times-Picayune, the race has never staffed an EMT in past years, but the unseasonable heat and humidity -- Natchitoches, La., where the race was held, had a heat index above 80 degrees on Monday -- made for dangerous race conditions for teens more accustomed to racing in weather nearly 20 degrees cooler by this point in the season.
"There's no paramedics, no ambulance, nothing," Joey Bergeron told the Times-Picayune. "It's hot, and kids are lying around everywhere suffering."
Yet, despite all that suffering, Bergeron never wavered in his commitment to finishing the race for his team. In that, his teammates here hardly surprised, as St. Paul's sophomore Zachary Albright told the Times-Picayune:
"Christian's all heart," he said. "He would do anything for this team. He looked like he was OK right before the race, but we were all dying out there."

Runners disqualified - No Justice 1

A friend of mine sent me this story:

Florida runners donate medals, trophy to disqualified foes

By Cameron Smith

In one of the more generous incidents in recent prep sports memory, a Florida girls cross country team voluntarily gave up their runners-up medals and trophy to a school which they felt deserved them more, and they did so entirely of their own volition, without any influence of a coach or other adult.
On Monday, Prep Rally wrote about the Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage School girls cross country team, which was knocked out of what was eventually determined to be a second place finish at the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A state cross country meet because of a bizarre mix up with the timing chips on the shoes of two team members.
Those mismatched timing chips -- which are used to ensure that a runner follows the correct course and crosses the finish line and all check points -- dropped American Heritage down to a fifth place finish, even though the team felt it should have finished much higher. As it turns out, the American Heritage runners weren't alone in that sentiment, with the school that did finish in second place going to extreme lengths to let their opponents know that how they felt about American Heritage's performance.
As reported by Jacksonville's FirstCoastNews.com, the Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles School girls cross country team, which was bumped up from third place to second in the Class 2A meet by the American Heritage disqualifications, voluntarily decided to give their runners-up medals and trophy to the team they felt should rightfully have finished there.
According to Bolles senior runner Micayla Costa, there was no debate among the Bolles team about what to do because they all knew that the American Heritage runners deserved the honor more than they did. In fact, the team had already gathered and decided to hand over their medals and trophy before Bolles cross country coach Tony Ryan could speak to them about it.
"We huddled up in a group to talk about it," Costa told FirstCoastNews. "The team decided not to keep the trophy, the medals and the runner-up title."
That meant a quick turnaround from the medal stand, where the Bolles girls had stood on the runners-up platform next to newly crowned 2A champion Miami (Fla.) Carrollton School, to a nearby huddle where the American Heritage squad was still in a state of shock over its sudden fall.
Without letting them know what they planned to do, the Bolles team members walked over to American Heritage runners and presented them with the second place medals. As one might expect, the reaction was emotional.
"I took off my medal and I gave it to [an American Heritage runner]," Bolles sophomore Lily Arnold told FirstCoastNews. "And once I put it around her neck, she started to cry."
While American Heritage's runners were the most obvious beneficiaries of the Bolles squad's immense generosity, runners from the Jacksonville school insist that they took as much away from the experience as they would have from a state title. That's saying something for a school which has a multitude of cross country and track titles to its name.
"This was worth so much more than a state championship," Arnold told FirstCoastNews.

How many more?

Brazil Chief Killed in Land Dispute

Gunmen killed a chief of the Kaiowa-Guarani Indian tribe in western Brazil on Friday, apparently over a land dispute, according to Funai, the federal indigenous affairs agency. An agency spokesman said more than 40 “hooded and heavily armed” gunmen raided the village of Tekoha Guaiviry in Mato Grosso do Sul State and shot Chief Nisio Gomes. A Funai spokeswoman said it appeared the gunmen had been hired by ranchers seeking to expel the tribe from land claimed by both sides. Renato Santana, a spokesman for the Indian Missionary Council, backed by the Roman Catholic Church, said Mr. Gomes was “summarily executed” in front of his son. “Everything indicates that ranchers, who want the land to raise cattle and plant sugarcane, hired the gunmen to get rid of Gomes, who was an outspoken defender of Indian rights,” he said.

This had no coverage in many countries in the western world and yet if 40 people turned up with guns to someone's house in the UK the press would have a field day.

I am consistently appalled when I see the damage we as human beings do to ourselves through Drink, drugs and tobacco.

The dangers of Methamphetamine show a picture of a woman in 1998 before she got addicted and 4 years later WOW.
I read this report recently and wonder why any woman would want to do this much damage to themselves?
Methamphetamine is a very addictive stimulant that is closely related to amphetamine. It robs the body of calcium and appears to have a neurotoxic effect, damaging brain cells that contain dopamine and serotonin, another neurotransmitter.
It is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting powder taken orally or by snorting or injecting, or a rock 'crystal' that is heated and smoked.
Methamphetamine increases wakefulness and physical activity, produces rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, and increased blood pressure and body temperature. Long-term use can lead to mood disturbances, violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, paranoia, insomnia, and severe dental problems. It is highly addictive, personality altering and can cause violent, bizarre behaviour.
Prolonged meth use can result in symptoms like those of Parkinson's disease and type-two schizophrenia. Meth causes increased heart rate and blood pressure and can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes. Other effects of meth include respiratory problems, irregular heartbeat and extreme anorexia.
In 2009, 1.2 million Americans age 12 and older had abused methamphetamine at least once in the year prior to being surveyed.
Over the years a number of pictures have been released to show the effects meth has on people (as above) to try and deter people from ever taking the drug.

Amazon rainforest named as one of seven nature wonders

The Amazon rainforest has been named one of the "New 7 Wonders of Nature of the World", according to the Swiss group that organized the competition.

The New7Wonders Foundation named Halong Bay in Vietnam; Iguazu Falls in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay; Jeju Island in Korea; Komodo island in Indonesia; Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Philippines; and Table Mountain in South Africa as the other six.

The winners emerged after months of voting. Originally some 447 were candidates for the title.

The Amazon is the world's largest rainforest and provides critical services for mankind: 70 percent of South America's GDP is produced in the region fed by Amazon rainfall. Another one of the "New 7 Wonders of Nature of the World" is also powered by the Amazon rainforest: Iguazu Falls.


Despite the Amazon's importance, its forests continue to fall. While Brazil has made great progress in reducing deforestation in recent years, scientists fear that climate change, combined with continuing forest loss, could put much of the Amazon at risk, leaving it at greater risk of fire and drought. Already some of the forecasts are looking prescient: in the past five years the Amazon experienced the two worst droughts over recorded.

It is not what you say it is the way that you say it

Racism in sport

There is a lot of press coverage being given to the alleged recent racial comments made by two footballers playing in the premiership, the first one was when Patrice Evra the Manchester United player accused Liverpool’s Luis Suárez of repeatedly calling him a N***** and secondly John Terry England and Chelsea captain alleged to have called QPR’s Anton Ferdinand a Black C*** but claiming he called him a Blind C*** how crazy that the focus is on the one first word and not the second.
What a fickle race of people we are. So many football fans blinded by support for their team and players and having no interest in learning the truth.

I remember my ex-wife used to say to me she was always getting into trouble for saying things, people used to say to her ‘It’s not what you said it is the way you said it’ I believe this is crucial in these circumstances. I do find it hard to come to terms with players receiving the huge salaries they do and letting opposing players get to them by name calling. I believe that just as in a civilised society everything should be done to stamp out racism, but let us not go over the top.
I am Welsh, British, short, some people would say old, have a spare tyre and could probably list dozens of names I have been called in the past some very hurtful and some very true, however as much as I despise racism and I do passionately as I always preach I have met good and bad everywhere and whilst some race, creeds and nationalities do have certain characteristics we are all individual’s and I repeat you will find good and bad everywhere. I have actually been the victim of racism not just as a Brit or a Taffy (a name I was called and proud to be in the army and elsewhere) during my time in the army I was close friends with one of only 3 black men in the regiment and as the others had almost 20 years’ service each never associated with the ‘boys for the craic’, however my mucka Glen ‘Chalky’ Smith not only a big guy but a hard man so fortunately did not receive as much abuse as if he had been a 9 stone weakling however I was actually targeted as I was his friend and the 9 stone weakling.

I was astounded as being blessed to be brought up in a small village in Wales I had never even saw a black person until I was 8 or 9 and that was just a young girl visiting for a week and I could count the number of black people I spoke to on both hands before I joined the army, however the racism I had previously been totally exposed to was reserved for the Irish as long as I could remember I heard all the jokes about the Irish being stupid etc. so was astounded to realise how racist a lot of the Irish lads were.

I remember back in 2011 and the UK suffered race riots I was a travelling salesman and our company did a lot of business with the Asian community and in fact many appointments had to be cancelled because of the riots, one Saturday there had been riots during the week in Oldham I was sent there and a day I will never forget I went to my first appointment at 12.30 sold a kitchen in 30 minutes and the lady of the house said have you got time to go to my sister she wants one too, half an hour later another sale and then she said can you go to see my uncle, so I picked up my bag and strolled down the street not bothering to go back for the car and within an hour and a half I had sold 3 kitchens which was the number of appointments we usually had for the whole day never mind sales. However when I finished and started the long walk back to the car a large number of Asian lads had formed themselves in groups and were just hanging around with nothing to do, that was not the longest walk I have ever made but it certainly felt like it, so many of those guys stared at me with pure hatred, just because of the colour of my skin.

Not long after that I was down in the West Midlands and another Asian area and as I said above we used to have 3 appointments a day, 12.00, 15.00 and 18.00 however sometimes the ‘sits’ as we called them could drag on longer or we would have a NCI ‘no customer in’ (however most reps used to take a leaf out of John Terry’s book and change the word customer. On this particular day my afternoon sit was a NCI so off I went to the next one to first of all find it (this was the days of A-Z well before SatNav) and secondly in the hope the 18.00 would be in and available and I could get an early night, no such luck so I did the next best thing and found a quite spot and had 40 winks, after an hour or so I noticed the car behind me was surrounded by a group of about a dozen men and a few harsh appeared to be being exchanged the next thing it was my turn and as one banged on the window I took the usual precautions, doors were already locked and I did not wind down the windows and the guy asked ‘What you doing here’ I explained what was doing he said ‘Well you better go’ ‘What’ I said ‘You better leave we have had some trouble with a white man attacking young girls so go’ it took a minute for it to register and then the red mist came down as I said at the start of the article call me what you want and if it is true so what however I expect most men would rather be called anything but a paedophile, I swear I was on my way out the car for ‘biffters’ until common sense took over and I realised the futility of trying to take on a dozen men especially as I realised some had baseball bats so I did what I was told. I have to say it was a horrible experience being accused just because of the colour of my skin. This never put me off going in to the Asian community I can count on the number of one hands I was offered food by the English, Welsh and Irish, (The Scottish are a different breed unless they had cake or biscuits you never got offered a brew) however many Asians cooked food whilst I was in their home, a tradition very much appreciated by yours truly as being on the road for so long the belly often used to rumble.

2 Minute Silence

It is politicians that send men and now women to war I hope for the day when mankind can live in peace, although sadly do not expect it to be in my lifetime. I have friends from all over the world and met and liked Germans whilst serving there in the 1970’s with the Royal Irish Rangers and did battle exercises with the French, the American’s and Canadians to name but a few. I have as a kitchen salesman gone in to the homes of Jews, Asians, Blacks and of course Brits and some made me feel very welcome some made me feel like an alian but what I have learned is that even within my own family I will never agree with everything they do but even with someone I would consider a natural enemy we have things in common and with a bit of effort can get along, we all need to learn to compromise and then maybe, just maybe we can all learn to live together.

Lest we forget

I saw this posted on Facebook - This is my Grandfather Pop Smiley he fought in World War 1 and 2. He never spoke about his experiences until just before his death. He said although he had been badly traumatised, wounded twice, saw his mates die and done things he never wanted to discuss...he would do it all again in the name of freedom.....thanks Pop.

We shall never forget the sacrifices you and your comrades made we shall always wear the poppy with pride...lest we forget.

RIP Pop Smiley.

Thousands turn out for funeral of Jimmy Savile as golden coffin is taken on a whirlwind tour of the town

Sir James Wilson Vincent Savile, OBE, KCSG (31 October 1926 – 29 October 2011)
I had the privilege of running in the same marathon as Sir Jimmy Savile a few times back in the 80’s and was saddened to hear of his death last week but the memories will live on forever.
Sir Jimmy Savile's coffin was carried into church by Royal Marines today as thousands of mourners lined the streets to give the entertainer an extraordinary final send-off.
'His life story was an epic of giving - giving of time, giving of talent, giving of treasure'.
Many celebrities turned out including Frank Bruno and DJs Tony Prince and Mike Read
Frank Bruno said Jimmy Savile was 'one in a million'. The entertainer died two days short of his 85th birthday last month.
Speaking after the funeral, Mr Bruno said: 'He was a very special man. If he was here he would be taking over, saying: "Now then. Now then."
DJ Mike Read said: 'It was amazing. What a turn out all over the city. It was a wonderful service - just great - and all done in the best spirit.
'We saw tears, a lot of memories, and people from all walks of life. How can you encapsulate the life of someone like Jim into two hours? You can't. But it was brilliant.
'Jim tried his best. He lived life to the full.'
As the hearse approached, people working in the shops and offices around Leeds infirmary came out to line the streets.
The cortege stopped briefly in front of a Union flag flying at half-mast.
Hospital staff lined the street side garden each side of the flagpole and watched in silence as the line of black cars passed.
Minutes before, the cortege stopped outside Sir Jimmy's mother's old house in the Woodhouse area of the city.
People lining the streets broke into spontaneous applause as the hearse carrying the coffin slowly approached the cathedral.
The hearse was adorned with a wreath of white roses on its roof.
The crowd then maintained a respectful silence as relatives of the broadcasting veteran left the seven funeral cars.
But they again burst into applause as seven Royal Marines marched forward to carry Sir Jimmy's coffin into the cathedral.
Later Sir Jimmy will be buried with a Royal Marines medal and Green Beret and a Help for Heroes wristband and will be wearing his own clothes.
Speaking outside the cathedral, DJ Mike Read said: 'Today should be a celebration. He'd have loved it, a showman to the end.He said: 'He made people feel good.'
One wreath spelt out the numbers 208 in yellow and white flowers - the frequency for Radio Luxembourg, where Sir Jimmy once worked.
Other bouquets had been sent from cruise company Cunard, with which the DJ had links, the BBC, the Lord Mayor of Leeds, and members of the official fan club.
The congregation sang the hymn Jerusalem as his coffin was led out of the church.
On a dreary, drizzly day in his beloved home city of Leeds, relatives, friends and admirers joined complete strangers to file by and pay their respects.
The last time the nation did this so publicly it was for the Queen Mother. Here in the heart of urban Yorkshire, Sir James Wilson Vincent Savile, OBE, KCSG, appears to have been held in no less esteem.
This was the opening act of a three-day send-off for the veteran entertainer, a prolific charity fundraiser hailed as a man of the people, albeit a rather unorthodox one.
Well-wishers lay flowers and left messages in books of condolence as they trickled past the closed casket at the rate of ten a minute.
An estimated 5,000 came and went during the day – so many that the visiting deadline was extended.
You had only to look at the mix to understand how many different walks of life Sir Jimmy touched. There was a tramp, an airline pilot, a nun in a wheelchair alongside an Afghanistan veteran walking on carbon fibre legs; and a woman who came to apologise for treading on Savile's toe once during a charity marathon.
Later came mothers in pushchairs, a heavily tattooed punk rocker plus a member of a 1960s pop group so obscure that even the man in the casket might have had trouble recalling them. And, of course, a Jim'll Fix It badge holder, a lucky winner among the 20,000 a week who wrote in for Jim to fix it for them.
I am not surprised to learn:
SAVILLE CASH TO FUND NEW HEART INSTITUTE AT HOSPITAL HE SUPPORTED

FROM COAL MINER TO TOP OF THE POPS: THE LIFE OF SIR JIMMY
Sir Jimmy – James Wilson Savile – was born in Leeds on Halloween 1926.
He left school at 14 and when war broke out he enlisted as a coal miner for the war effort.
An underground explosion damaged his spine so badly that he had to give up mining.
Instead he became a local entertainer, organising what he described as Britain’s first disco in 1948.
His work in the dance-halls was eventually spotted and he was asked to move on to radio where he rapidly acquired national fame, first with Radio Luxembourg and then BBC Radio 1.
He later competed as a semi-professional sportsman, taking part in the 1951 Tour of Britain cycle race and a professional wrestler.
He fought 107 bouts but won just seven, insisting it was never fixed.
In 1964, Sir Jimmy presented the very first edition of Top Of The Pops.
In the 70s, he started a 20-year run as host of Jim'll Fix It, working miracles for more than 1,500 children.
He raised staggering amounts for charity - his accountant lost track after £40million.

Love and Respect you Jim
RIP

25 years the Gaffer

25 years ago on 6th November 1986 Alex Ferguson (later to become Sir Alex Ferguson ) took over as the boss of Manchester United Football Club and on his retirement could possibly be in my opinion the first ex-football manager to become a lord.
Aberdeen’s loss was United Gain
The announcement on Sunday that the north stand be named after the greatest football manager is another example of how much he is worshipped at Old Trafford.
What an exceptional and inspirational mentor he has been to me in my struggle to prepare for this marathon I am planning next year and also as I struggle with my colleagues to bring PRT and Maglev trains to the world market.
When I remember the fantastic players who have and come to this great club and the difficult decisions he has had to make, not always getting them right but in the long run 30 trophies and championships have been collected (please long may they remain so) and the glory continues. When one looks at the continued success and records broken many people have thought because of his age he will retire but as the great man says he has a great job he loves and so whilst he has his health and the trophy’s continue to be collected why stop.
Two of my favourite SAF quotes:
"Nothing [Eric] Cantona did in matches meant more than the way he opened my eyes to the indispensability of practice."
"David Beckham is Britain’s finest striker of a football not because of God-given talent but because he practises with a relentless application that the vast majority of less-gifted players wouldn’t contemplate."

Wow what a world we live in

Hospital discards premature boy baby as dead girl baby in toilet.


In the same district in China as the appalling case of the 2 years old knocked over twice and ignored by a large number of people walking past comes this one:
Liu Dongmei gave birth to a premature baby at a hospital in Foshan of Guangdong province, whom nurses told the family was a girl and had died, and had placed the infant into a plastic bag thrown into the toilet/bathroom. 30 minutes later her sister arrived and asked to see the body to discover it had been put into a plastic bag and dumped in a toilet and that it was a baby boy.

Foshan city Nanhai district Red Cross Society Hospital, Liu Dongmei gave birth to a baby with the help of two nurses. The nurses told the family that it was a baby girl and was already dead when born. Relatives who quickly arrived over half an hour later requested to see [the baby], only to discover that the “dead baby” was actually still moving, and was a baby boy. That day, after the family discovered that the baby was still alive.

However what about this guy.

Nicholas James Vujicic a 28 year old was born with with Tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs. He struggled as a child, eventually came to terms with his disability and started his own non-profit organization Life Without Limbs – at age seventeen. Vujicic is a preacher and presents motivational speeches worldwide, on life with a disability, hope, and finding meaning in life. Check out the video.