Special Olympian hospitalized
7/19/2008 10:21 PM   0 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend



By SUZANNE R. STONE

Staff writer

One of Aiken's favorite Special Olympians is facing a different kind of race - a race to recover his health.

John Bradford, 49, was diagnosed at birth with cerebral palsy. But it affected his mental development more than his physical health, according to his sister, Sally Bradford Bryan. Now Bradford is seriously ill with acute pancreatitis, mild pneumonia and an infection; he has been in Aiken Regional Medical Centers since last Friday.

"He's been very, very strong. In fact, his heart is doing well right now," Bryan said. "He's been having respiratory problems and now has an infection. He's just been holding his own all week, and we have to prepare for the worst and hope and pray for the best. The doctor said that it didn't look good for him when they brought him into ICU, but then his numbers started to improve. He's fighting; he's fighting like hell even though he's laying there resting in the bed. It takes time, and we're hoping for the best."

He went on a ventilator last Saturday to compensate for labored breathing but was awake and responsive Tuesday and Wednesday. Since then, he has been under heavy sedation, Bryan said.

Bradford is a bagger and "general sunshine person" at Kroger. The Kroger staff has been in touch with his family daily and has been collecting cards and messages from friends and well-wishers.

"He is so wonderful. I just brought his cart and it was so full of cards and messages, we had to get a second cart. I've answered numerous calls on him today," said Barbara Johnson, floor supervisor at Kroger. "He's wonderful with the customers; they just love to see John and they're so saddened to hear he's sick. He's that special. He's like a person we all need to look for in life. He's so happy, and he makes the most of what he's been given."

He has been involved with Special Olympics, taking part in swimming and bowling events; after heart surgery in 1992, he shifted his focus from swimming to bowling. He has just completed his second three-year term on the South Carolina Special Olympics board of directors and has served as a global messenger for the program, telling about the advantages of Special Olympics.

"John has been very active as a bowler and swimmer, but my real involvement with him has been through our Athlete Leadership Program. He is a Sgt. Shriver Global Messenger, which means we train them to speak in front of an audience about Special Olympics. He's been doing that at least 10 years, and he also serves on the Athletes Advisory Council for Special Olympics North America, that's about 20 to 25 athletes across North America that serve on that," said Sue Maner, vice president of programs and communications for Special Olympics South Carolina.

"I love John. I started off as John's mentor, and it quickly developed into a very strong friendship. John is one of the grandest ambassadors I have ever known for Special Olympics. It's hard not to get the Special Olympics fever when you're around him," Maner said.

Bradford is a mainstay of Providence Orthodox Presbyterian Church. He sings, plays the drums and the piano and played drums in his high school band in Pennsylvania. He also opened the Spring Games for the Special Olympics, held April 26 at Aiken High School, with the national anthem.

"Johnny doesn't know a stranger; he knows everybody in town, and he loves everybody," Bryan said. "We're hoping if and when he does come through it, he would be back at work, back at church, because that's what he'd want to do."

Contact Suzanne Stone at sstone@aikenstandard.com.

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