In this month's (December) Runners' World magazine, there is a great article on former Cyclone track superstar Danny Harris. His tale is a incredible story of triumph and tragedy.
From the depths of having both parents die when he was a child, working in the migrant fields with his grandmother to stay off welfare, heading to Ames to play football, only to give track a go and turning into an international track star at an incredibly young age, beating Edwin Moses, and winning a silver medal in the Olympics. All this to four years later an injury side tracking his bid for a second Olympics and ultimately lead to a long drug induced downward spiral, banned from the sport, reinstated, only to lapse back to drug use. A 2 decade long struggle with drugs and trying to regain a life. Complicate that struggle with a battle against cancer and wrongful imprisonment. Now he is back in Ames to finish up his degree and is working with the track team and troubled youth in the community.
The article makes Ames seems like his sanctuary and relief to all that was evil in his life. Time and time again in his life he has faced adversity and returned to Ames to regain his footing in life.
I have a subscription, so I read the article in print. I have searched for it online, but couldn't find anything. Here is a forum posting from a track and field website about the article. Track & Field News :: View topic - Danny Harris
If you have a chance to pick up a copy - due yourself a favor and read this story!
From the depths of having both parents die when he was a child, working in the migrant fields with his grandmother to stay off welfare, heading to Ames to play football, only to give track a go and turning into an international track star at an incredibly young age, beating Edwin Moses, and winning a silver medal in the Olympics. All this to four years later an injury side tracking his bid for a second Olympics and ultimately lead to a long drug induced downward spiral, banned from the sport, reinstated, only to lapse back to drug use. A 2 decade long struggle with drugs and trying to regain a life. Complicate that struggle with a battle against cancer and wrongful imprisonment. Now he is back in Ames to finish up his degree and is working with the track team and troubled youth in the community.
The article makes Ames seems like his sanctuary and relief to all that was evil in his life. Time and time again in his life he has faced adversity and returned to Ames to regain his footing in life.
I have a subscription, so I read the article in print. I have searched for it online, but couldn't find anything. Here is a forum posting from a track and field website about the article. Track & Field News :: View topic - Danny Harris
If you have a chance to pick up a copy - due yourself a favor and read this story!
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