“Wait to Worry” – Ryan Beighley, 90, The Villages, Florida Most of us can (or one day will) point to a moment or experience that brings about a profound change. When you ask 90-year-old Ryan Beighley what has motivated him to keep running and swimming through his life, the decorated World War II veteran has

Shuttling Around The World – Debbie Lorenzo, 64, Las Vegas, Nevada It’s only fitting that Debbie Lorenzo found herself settling into Las Vegas two decades ago. The previous years, beginning in her native Singapore, were full of action, surprises and excitement-and not all of it pleasant. She gambled on her life moves, scored on opportunities

Against All Odds – Brenda Talley, 60, Las Vegas, Nevada What happens when life suddenly deals you one bad hand after another? Do you fold, or do you find a way to play it out? Brenda Talley, who was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer in 2008 and has undergone more than 40 rounds of chemotherapy,

  From left: Monica, Tom, “Pop”, Nancy, Buffy, Dan, Carl Jr. The Family That Plays Together…-The Horstman Family, Evansville, Indiana As the biennial National Senior Games approaches its 14th gathering of athletes since the first event was held in 1987, we are delighted to see more and more intergenerational participation. Earlier in our history, we

Walk Like a Mississipian – Donna Gonzales, 72, Terry, Mississippi Race walking is an often unappreciated sport. The casual observer might consider its movements quirky, but anyone who has tried it or watched closely will attest to the skill and focus it demands of athletes. Precise technique and endurance, requiring extensive mental and physical preparation,

  Photos by: Matt Oleszczak Rallying Through Life’s Kill Shots – Sharon Huczek, 67, Rochester, Michigan If you are looking for a model of perseverance and persistence, you need not look farther than Sharon Huczek. The same would be true if you are looking for a model of an inspirational person who makes a difference

A Different Kind of Fish Story – Alexandra Stafford, 54, Metairie, Louisiana NSGA’s Personal Best initiative seeks to inspire an attitude for lifelong health and fitness in everyone by presenting profiles of Senior Games athletes who are successful examples of healthy, active aging. Having a sensible approach to nutrition is one aspect of maintaining a

Cycling Away From Cancer – Michael Adsit, 65, Milford, Pennsylvania Statistics tell us that one of two American men and one of three American women will personally encounter cancer. The good news is that with research and medical advancements, a diagnosis doesn’t always carry the “automatic death sentence” connotation it once had. There are more

The Power of Love – John C. Taylor, 94, Atlanta, Georgia It’s not just anyone who can say they have done a triathlon in the National Senior Games at the age of 90 or older. In fact, no one but John C. Taylor can make that claim, which was accomplished in 2011 in Houston. Even

Of Mentors, Mountains and Marathons – Della Works, 80, Casper, Wyoming At each phase of her life, Della Works hasn’t begun to imagine what the next turn would bring. As a farm girl in Wisconsin, she never saw a mountain while growing up, yet she would find herself avidly hiking and climbing them after she