What's New These Days....

What is L.A. to you?

To me, she is great and twisted; showing me horrors that I long after while alluding a life of the walking dead...

I am glad to report, I severed some of the tentacles that had hold of me since I left.
.That took way too long.



7.11.2012

Pat Summitt Takes on Alzheimer's

In a tear-jerking televised event, the 2012 ESPYS featured Pat Summitt, the legendary basketball coach who retired from the University of Tennessee, as this year's Arthur Ashe Courage Award winner. She was recently diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease,


forcing college basketball's all-time winningest coach to retire from the game she loves. She now focuses on confronting this disease both personally and publicly, as she undergoes treatment herself and she raises awareness about this dreaded affliction.

I was deeply affected by her story and wish her the best in her quest to 'keep on keepin' on'. My ties to her challenge run deep, as my grandmother was affected by this terrible disease and my mother recently lost her battle with cancer. It's so-so tough when the strongest person you know, your mom, is made weak by something that no one can strike back against. My heart and my prayers go out to Pat and her son Tyler as they undergo this formidable task.

If anyone can do it, the wonder woman, Pat Summitt can. God Bless you, Pat.

More Info:

According to a write up in Zap2it.com:

“I am humbled to receive an honor bearing Arthur Ashe’s name and to join an amazing group of recipients who have received the Ashe Award at the ESPYs. Besides being an incredible tennis player, I genuinely admired Arthur’s honesty, integrity and conviction in all areas of his life on and off the court.  I will proudly accept this award,” said Summitt.
 
“Pat Summitt’s accomplishments as a coach and mentor are unmatched as she has dedicated her life to serving as an inspiration and a motivator for generations of young students and athletes,” said ESPN’s EVP of Programming and Acquisitions, Norby Williamson. “As she enters this next phase of her life focusing on transforming her personal adversity into making an impact on the fight against Alzheimer’s, we could not be more proud to honor her as the recipient of the 2012 Arthur Ashe Courage Award.”

The Arthur Ashe Courage Award
The Arthur Ashe Courage Award is presented each year to individuals whose contributions transcend sports.  Past honorees include: Jim Valvano (1993); Steve Palermo (1994); Howard Cosell (1995); Loretta Claiborne (1996); Muhammad Ali (1997); Dean Smith (1998); Billie Jean King (1999); Dave Sanders (2000); Olympian Cathy Freeman (2001); Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick, four passengers who lost their lives September 11 on United Flight 93 (2002); Pat and Kevin Tillman (2003); Liberian-born soccer legend George Weah (2004); disabled athletes Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah and Jim MacLaren (2005); Afghan female athletes (2006); and Trevor Ringland and Dave Cullen for their work with PeacePlayers (2007); U.S. Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos (2008); former president Nelson Mandela (2009);  the Thomas family of Parkersburg, IA (2010); and boxer Dewey Bozella (2011).