People are dying younger now. Middle age morbidity rates are rising.
“Johnson won the downhill at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics”
Time flies.
Had no idea he was so ill.
ROP
I smell steroids.....
he was in bad shape ever since a bad fall in a comeback bid . but he was awesome to watch .. he had one speed on skis pedal to the metal
Wow
Johnson’s personal life suffered as well, when his 13-month-old son, Ryan, drowned in a hot tub in 1992. At age 40, his marriage ended in divorce, and he was bankrupt and living in his class A motorhome when he mounted an improbable comeback bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The comeback ended abruptly on March 22, 2001, when Johnson crashed during a training run prior to the downhill race of the 2001 U.S. Alpine Championships, held at The Big Mountain near Whitefish, Montana.[28] He sustained serious injury to the left side of his brain, nearly bit off his tongue, and was comatose for three weeks.[29]
In 2010, Johnson lived in Zigzag, near Mount Hood, and remained brain-damaged and in need of constant care, mostly from his mother. He became slightly more functional, though his speech and memory were permanently impaired.[30][31]
Later in 2010 Johnson, who had suffered a series of mini-strokes over the course of the previous ten years, fell victim to a massive stroke and was moved to a long-term care facility in Gresham, Oregon. Due to the stroke, Johnson lost the ability to sit up unassisted and could no longer use his right hand. He also lost sight in his left eye and further lost the ability to speak above a whisper. He also suffered great pain when swallowing, which made feeding him difficult.[32]
In June 2013, Johnson contracted an infection that nearly took his life. He was placed on life support while doctors worked to fight the infection. Johnson elected in July to remove himself from life support and refuse further treatment.[33] He said that the next time something like this happens, his wishes were to be left alone so he can die.[citation needed] As of February, 2014, after a return to long-term care, he was free of infection, able to move one side of his body, eat and smoke with assistance, and communicate using a letter board.[34] However, later again Johnson experienced worsening health.
Johnson died on January 21, 2016, at the care facility in Gresham.[35] He was 55.
Source: Wikipedia
RIP
American legend. That race to gold in 1984 was epic. RIP.
The Euro snobs looked down on him but he was a master at getting inside their heads. He was an expert at intimidating them and had no fear. When he would run into them in the village he would tell them right to their faces: "I'm gonna win the gold." His winning race is right up there with Franz Klammer for edge of the seat excitement. Wish his life after the olympics had gone better for him. He was a real character.
Sad. RIP.
A great athlete who had a hard life. RIP.