Bill Johnson, Olympic Gold Medalist Memorial
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- Опубликовано: 23 авг 2024
- Bill Johnson, 1984 Olympic Downhill Gold Medalist. These are a compilation of memories of my brother Bill. Born March 30, 1960, Died January 21, 2016. Rest in peace Bill, with love, Vicki
I was one of the rehab nurses that took care of Bill when he was a patient at Providence Rehab Center. His family was totally awesome, even his ex-wife. The only reason I'm mentioning this is because HIPAA rights end when you pass away and Bill and family took part in interview for late night news program. It was so devastating to see the change from before the accident to what I saw when I took care of him as a RN. We also had the same birth date of March 30th, though I was born in 1972.
I graduated with Bill and had several classes with him. He always lived in the present and at full throttle. He never wasted a day from what I could tell. It was exciting back on Feb 16, 1984 watching him win the gold in Sarajevo! I'm sorry for your loss Vicki.
Cool than you knew him!
Dear Victoria, there is one city and one mountain where Bill Johnson will live forever and where people still love him. Bjelašnica mountain and Sarajevo will always keep the memory of the gold medal winner Bill. We still listen and tell stories about him and it will be continued from generation to generation, because we don't forget. "Ski to Die" was his motto and only truthful ski lovers understand what it means. I am sure he has a lot of snow to enjoy in the world beyond!
Do you know if he returned to Sarajevo after 84 ?
thank you for posting this. I grew up in Oregon and raced on the Downhill team at Mt Hood Meadows. Bill's "go for broke" style had a huge impact on my skiing, and my life. I loved watching him race. Perfect balance and technique. Thank you for all the great memories, Bill. Seems like it was just yesterday.
Your brother is a legend! What he achieved in 1984 at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo was legendary!!
I will always remember meeting Bill when he was training in Hintertux in 1984. A great American hero !!
Rest easy champ ...Many moons have come and gone and you're still my favorite .You were the perfect anti-hero for a 16 year old me and i thank you for that ...R.I.P. CHAMP .
I cried and laughed so much watching this awesome tribute. Bill Johnson inspired me so much as a kid, in California, (Woodland Hills in The Valley!) who loved/loves to ski. Thank you Bill. Thank you.
You made America proud in 1984 !!!!
Thank you so much for posting this. Bill inspired me as a kid being the greatest American Skier. He had determination, and zest for life that few people in this world ever possess. Good bad or indifferent, I wanted be just like him. I was jumping up and down on the couch watching his WC and Olympic runs on TV. lol... I never met him, but he made a huge impression on me. RIP
Thanks for this. I worked side by side with Bill, Dennis and Brad here in Crested Butte. We built some super nice houses. It’s hard to believe how much time has passed. Bill taught me how to get it done. I still tell people that I went to the Bill Johnson and Dennis Richie school of gettin sh!t done. So many memories. Thanks again for making this. RIP my good friend Bill. You were truly an inspiration.
Always loved an underdog . RIP Billie. You made your mark.
Wow My sincere Condolences Victoria, I just watched an old episode of Johnny Carson from Feb. 21, 1984 (thats the Date the TV listing said), your Brother appeared on this show I watched tonight (I am in the Detroit, MI. Area) and I like to sometimes look up people, Athletes, Stars from the past and see what they are up to today, How their life has turned out 30, 40 Years later and WOW was I shocked when I googled "Bill Dean Johnson, First American to Ever win a Gold Medal in Alpine Downhill Skiing" and it said he Died at the age of 55 (it was a "NY Times" Article Jan. 22, 2016),
I am about the same age as your Brother, he was 1 1/2 years older, but we grew-up in the same generation, we had some of the same circumstances growing up from what Bill said on Johnny Carson and from what I read, I have also messed my life up too, I had the world by the ass at one time, making a ton of money, ETC., ETC. and screwed it all up, idk if thats what Bill did, but it sounds like thats what might of happened, idk why us Boys do that, some of us think we can do anything, get away with anything, when you have people tell you how Great you are and how smart you are and how good-looking you are, you start to believe everything they tell you and you start to think you are invincible , then when things start to fall apart on you, all these people that were around when you had something to give them, A Goodtime, money, Fun; When you had something they wanted, All those people that used to tell you how great you are, that said they would always be around for you, to Help you if you needed it, disappear, Vanish, they are gone and you are all alone and not so great anymore, idk it just Stinks!
There was another guy I looked up from a Johnny Carson show from 1979, he had just finished Wimbledon, he took 2nd Place Against the Great Bjorn Borg, he had Won Several Singles & Doubles Tennis Titles, He won the Australian Open 1977, He was supposed to Take-off and have a Great Career and a Fantastic Life, I looked him up a few months ago and his life turned out to be shit too, Jail, homelessness, Broke, no one helping him, ETC., ETC.!!! His Name is "Roscoe Tanner"!!
idk why we screw our lives up when we could have a Fantastic life, I have often thought that I am "Cursed", really, really cursed, I don't believe in that stuff, but I believe it for myself, LOL ... I have no other way to explain why things always go wrong, when they should go right, even if it is my own fault, WHY?? Why Sabotage yourself, it makes No Sense!!
Well again my condolences to you and your whole Family, your Brother seemed like a Nice guy even if he did have some faults, So What, Who Doesn't have faults, Who is Perfect, No Body!!
Your Brother did a Great thing, he did something no one else can ever do, "He is the First American Male to Win a Gold Medal in Alpine Downhill Skiing" and like Bill Said "They can't take that away from Him"!!!!!!
Easy bro....I hear you, but don't take it all to seriously, 'success, money, things' really don't mean shit in the long run. Carry on my friend. (PM anytime)
So bitter sweet. All the best to you , Victoria.
my memory of bill is that prior to his great olympic victory, he did shock and piss of many when he claimed that he would win the downhill and that everyone else were merely competing for second place - what a pair of balls...you don't have to be a skier to realize those are the words of a true champion....a man's man was bill...
I will always love the way this guy just showed up on the scene and said, "Just give that medal to me"
and well they had to do just that.
Now that is world class.
R.I.P Bill Johnson...
No1...the best....king
i still have Bills signed poster i got from him in 1984 hanging on my wall..
Very sad. I just saw him on an old episode of Johnny Carson from 1984. He had the world in his hands, until a number of things went awry. He loses his child in a drowning, ends up divorced and broke living in a van, and then becomes permanently disabled while attempting a comeback... unreal series of tragedies
So sad for sure! Just 3 years older than me. Remember watching him ski. Strange sad turn of events in his life.
Bill was a real hero I loved watching him race a beautiful video
we were all with you on that day 1984, RIP Bill Johnson !!!!!!!!!!
That was beautiful Victoria. Bill was and continues to be a source of great inspiration. What a guy!
RIP Bill Johnson
I never heard of this boy before. What a beautiful kid! What a life! Wow - amazing video too.
He came out of nowhere to capture the first Gold medal in USA skiing Olympic history in Sarajevo, 1984. It shocked the sporting world back then. After nearly 50 years of European dominance, Bill finally broke thru. His downhill run was magical...the perfect run.
He was an American HERO !
An American legend. God Bless and RIP
The similarities of Robert Redford,'s DOWNHILL RACER and Bill Johnson's real life story of World Cup triumph and Olympic gold are very eerily close.
R.I.P. Champ!
yeah Bill was my hero in 9th 10th grade. race in peace bill. thanks Vicki
Great racer, very sorry about that accident.I was going to college at Wenatchee when bill was going to school there, and I think I was at a party he was at one time.Anyway, Rip Bill Johnson .
God Bless him.
I follow the games he pulled 1 of the greatest runs to take gold
Bill was an american hero. The euros pissed on him, and he kicked their asses...RIP
😥
I rooted against Bill in '84 for political reasons, not personal ones.
I somewhat regret that now, but I am very sorry to learn of his passing.