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Diaranson 8 september 2021

Photographer, his legs lost, seeks answers from Paralympians

for with triathlete Melissa click of the shutter. My lens-
Stockwell, the kind shared es focus on the retinas of my
only between two people subjects; Brad has no retinas,
who were both missing a so until I turned off the fea-
limb; we connected mostly ture the camera often focused
as parents, trying their best to on the eyes of his guide dog,
raise their kids. Timber.

When sprinter Luis Puertas Brad told me that before he
and I spoke of his life before lost his sight, he wanted to
an IED in Iraq which took be a nobody, anonymous to
both of his legs, he preferred the world like so many other
to bury the past and to look people, to ride his motorcycle
ahead to the challenges life along the Pacific Coast away
has yet to throw at him, “I from his experiences in Af-
like to be by myself, I want ghanistan and toward a nor-
to be by myself” he told me mal life with a normal job.
again and again.
I turned off the lights in the
Cyclist Tom Davis assured kitchen we were sitting in
me that his injuries changed without him noticing and for
his life and that of his family a short few moments Brad
for the better -- he’s a better and I were speaking together
person, a better husband and in the darkness of his world.
father, all because of the am-
bush which cost him his leg. I thought: We are, all of us,
He wouldn’t give any of it up unlucky. But we are also
for the opportunity to walk blessed to have received treat-
again, he said. ments that allowed us to go
on with our lives. There are
Freddie De Los Santos feels untold numbers of Afghans
differently. Now when he who were similarly maimed
smiles his mouth opens up to and were not so fortunate.
a beautiful set of fake teeth; he And I thought: Yes, we would
(AP) - When I last saw A dozen years later, Fred- role my disability has played has the physique of an athlete have been happy living anon-
Freddie de los Santos, his die has a new life. He is a in shaping who I am today. and he moves with ease. But ymous lives. But because of
mouth was ravaged -- his Paralympian, one of several he said he would burn every- that single accident of fate,
teeth had been blown American soldiers who re- And I wonder: Can disability thing he has -- his home, his our lives were turned upside
away by the same blast bounded from horrendous actually give us more than it race bike, his paintings, the down and we were set on dif-
that took his leg. And yet, injuries in Iraq and Afghani- has taken? new Tesla he just bought -- to ferent paths to become dif-
he always smiled. stan to compete in the Tokyo get his leg back and leave be- ferent people. We died that
games. And I have resumed I wanted to share these re- hind the ghosts of a war that day, if only for a few seconds,
The year was 2009. We were my career with a camera, flections with those soldiers haunt him day and night. and amid the grueling chaos
both being treated at Walter traveling the world, telling wounded in combat, to speak of war we found peace and
Reed National Military Med- stories. amputee to amputee about Unlike the others, unlike me, perhaps even happiness in
ical Center; I too had lost a the capabilities we have come swimmer Brad Snyder lost death. We were brought back
leg in southern Afghanistan. At times I think I would give to possess despite our dis- not a limb but his eyes. I had to lives not of our choosing,
We spent months together, it all away -- my life’s work, abilities. And so I crossed the never photographed a story lives with disability as our
the soldier and the photog- the prizes and recognition, United States to talk with about a blind person before, constant companion.
rapher, and he would tell me including the Pulitzer I was five Paralympians. and I decided to deactivate
of his exhaustion, his trauma awarded this year -- just to the silent mode of my camera Each of us must come to our
and his nightmares. walk on my own two legs I would not have the intimate so he was conscious of each own conclusions. But I look
again. But I also realize the conversation I was looking photograph I made with the at my life, and I am happy.

1,000-game winner, Hall of Fame coach Magee ready to retire

(AP) — Herb Magee, the the reigns to successor Jim- career scoring leader with see State in the title game. ferson University in 2017,
Hall of Famer known as my Reilly. Reilly has been 2,235 points. He averaged becoming simply known as
“The Shot Doc” whose a member of Magee’s staff 29.1 points one season and Philadelphia University Jefferson.
1,123 career wins trail only since 2007. was a two-time small-college combined with Thomas Jef-
Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski All-America selection. Bos-
among all active coaches, Magee is 1,123-444 record ton drafted Magee with the
will retire from Jefferson (.717 winning percentage) 62nd pick of the 1963 draft,
University at the end of over 53 seasons. Krzyzewski, but he decided not to join
the season. set to retire after one more the Celtics and returned to
season at Duke, is the only Textile, which later became
Magee is the only basketball college basketball coach in Philadelphia University.
coach to have achieved that all divisions with more wins
many wins all at his alma ma- (1,170). He served as an assistant
ter, which has gone by vari- coach until 1967, when he
ous names over the years. Magee was inducted in 2011 took over as head coach
into the Naismith Memorial and won 21 games. Magee
The Division II Rams did not Basketball Hall of Fame. reached the pinnacle in 1970
play last season because of when the Rams won his only
the pandemic. The 80-year- Magee ended his playing ca- national championship. The
old Magee will coach this reer at what was then Phila- Rams won 28 straight games
season before he hands over delphia Textile as the school’s that season and beat Tennes-