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Monday, July 04, 2005

A Star who've inspire me - By Carlos Iskandar


Date: Sun, 3 Jul 2005 22:58:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Carlos Iskandar" (carlos_isqandar@yahoo.com) - Add to Address Book
Subject: A Star who've inspired me
To: lea_laurielle@yahoo.com
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Dear Lea,

Sorry for not being so productive, I hope this would really appeal to your reader.

cheers



A Star who've inspired me.

In 1984 one of the greatest event in the world happen in Los Angeles, it was the at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Greg Louganis won gold medals in the 3-metre springboard and 10-metre platform, leaving very strong Chinese divers at 100 points behind himself; this was the highest spread ever occurred in the Olympics. It was also one of the greatest moments in my life, as his achievement has become an inspiration.



At a very young age, I became his fan, always eager to get new stories on him, of course for all the good reason, he is good looking, who could deny of pleasure seeing his beautiful smile, not forgetting his beautiful physique and his success stories. He became my icon and mentor for inspiration to be successful in my life.

I was glad and happy to see him compete again in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Who could forget the incident happen to him when his head hit the springboard? My eyes watch in tears as he took his dive with head bandages.



Of course after the 1988 Olympics ended the world was again at shock with his revelation. In 1994 Louganis announced publicly that he was gay. His autobiography, Breaking the Surface, was published in 1995, where he told the world that and how he caught H.I.V. virus.



I read his book in a breaking time of one day, without skipping a single word. Each chapter of his books in a way, had relation against mine. His life story was so moving; it had me tears going through the lines. The book became my best friend at the point of my career life making a turning point and my personal life at nowhere at all.

It is not that his book would encourage you to be gay or lead a life as one. But, how ironic that he would write lots of similarities that I have to face in live. Although I have never met him but reading ‘Breaking the Surface” has moved me closer to him. He touches my life with the same things and situation that as an ordinary person would go through. Only through his book he became sort of brother, father figure, lover, etc that you would really want to have. It is all about struggles in life that we face, written honestly by a star.

His book has never gathered any dust on my shelf; I keep on reading, even only finding myself reading a chapter.



Greg Louganis, the most successful diver in history, has recently gone public with the news that his mental health took its own plunge years ago. Louganis, the winner of five Olympic medals, first experienced depression at age 12 when a doctor told him that because of knee damage, he would have to give up gymnastics and his dream of competing in the Olympics. Louganis attempted suicide by downing aspirin and Ex-Lax, trying again twice before the age of 18. While counseling sessions accomplished little, Louganis found that diving--a sport less grueling for the knees--was a satisfying way to express his physical talents.

By 1971 he had qualified for the Junior Olympics. Five years later, at the age of 16, Louganis won a silver medal at the Montreal Olympics in the 10-meter platform diving competition. He went on to win gold medals in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games. But Louganis felt acute insecurities and inner conflicts about being gay. In a crushing blow, he found out in 1987 that he was HIV-positive.

For years, Louganis did not share the news of his illness for fear that it would cost him his diving career. He relied on the income from endorsements and appearances to pay his enormous medical expenses rather than submit the bills to his insurance company.
Louganis has since gone public with his illness, touring the country to give speeches about his life experiences and act as a positive role model.

*Publication: Psychology Today. Publication Date: Nov/Dec 99

Greg has written a new book but this time it is on with another passion in his life about dogs. He had said it in his epilogue in “Breaking the Surface” that he would continue doing fund-raisers, particularly for AIDS and for PAWS. To Greg, all the best and I will do my best too, to achieve what I have dream for and “Breaking the Surface” would continue to be my ‘friend’.

carlos_isqandar
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PUBLISHED ON BEHALF OF CARLOS ISKANDAR



Nurlea Laurielle Lai Lee Abdullah
Like my page? Vote for me HERE!!! Thanks u ols!!!





Posted at 2:53:14 pm by Nurlea Laurielle Lai Lee Abdullah

katadah.warriors
July 4, 2005   07:05 PM PDT
 
ooh.. *sob.. sob... how touching .. *tissue pleaseeeeeee...
Abg Z
July 4, 2005   10:55 PM PDT
 
Good entry Carlos. Well done.



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