This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 23, 2012 - They ran, jumped and swam with so much grace and determination that some viewers might have found it hard to believe that these athletes were in their 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. The stories of athletes competing for the gold in Senior Olympics nationwide are captured in an inspiring documentary, called "Age of Champions." It is making its way across the country in local showings ahead of its PBS debut next year.
A showing last Thursday night, sponsored by AARP, took place at the Jewish Community Center in Creve Coeur. Among those who definitely could believe what he was seeing on the screen was Bill Cannon, 82, a Ballwin resident. After all, he has won more than 2,000 medals at the Senior Olympics over the years.
“Swimming is my major sport,” he says, his mouth framed by a neatly trimmed white moustache and goatee. “After I started doing that, I decided that I might as well throw the javelin, do the high jump, the shot put, basketball, darts and all.”
Until last spring, his day job was that of salesman, supplying automotive parts stores. His voice breaks a little as he talks about the day last spring when he got a pink slip.
“The sales manager who took over never had a quarrel with me but decided ‘we don’t need you anymore.’ But guess what? Customers still call me.”
His mood perks up again as he talks about longevity and having a life and lots of fun after a day job.
“I believe that taking care of yourself makes a big difference,” he says. “I never smoked in my life, and I always exercised. As a traveling salesman, I would always do my exercises. I’d be doing them while a lot of other guys were drinking their beer. Most of them are dead now.”
The other important thing about life, he says is “positive thinking and helping other people out. When I encourage somebody to exercise and they come out and do it, that puts me in a place that makes me feel so-o-o great.”
In addition, his spirits are lifted by volunteer work and his family of his wife, five children, 15 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
“I’m so blessed and so proud of all my children,” he says.
The documentary’s director, Christopher Rufo, says he continues to be inspired by the “longer, healthier, and happier lives” depicted in the movie. He says seniors in the film show that “it’s never too late to pursue your dream and achieve something great.”
Showings in cities across the nation are resulting in “a lot of positive reaction. It’s exciting and inspiring to see the senior Olympians. One suffers from cancer, and another has lost his wife. They are human stories and show us amazing possibilities.”
One of his favorite people in the documentary is Roger Gentilhomme, a resident of Cape Cod, Mass. “He rides his bike, drives his car, goes on dates and does everything you’d do when you’re 30.”
The difference is that Gentilhomme is 100 years old.
Norma Collins, advocacy director for AARP, says her group felt it was ideal to sponsor the documentary because the event offered a tie-in to AARP’s national campaign about federal health benefits for seniors, called “You’ve Earned a Say.”
“Our campaign is about strengthening Social Security and Medicare, and many of these Olympians, of course, are recipients of both programs. We thought it would be a great to sponsor this and highlight what these sensational Olympians have done.”
The local screening was followed by a discussion of healthy aging and how to stay active.
