Editorial: Olympian Inspires Community

9:30 PM, May. 5, 2011

 

1964 Olympic gold medalist in the 10,000 meters, Billy Mills was the keynote speaker at the 2011 Community Prayer Breakfst at Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers Thursday 5/5/2011. / Andrew West/news-press.com

This was the running theme throughout Billy Mills' powerful motivational speech at Thursday's Community Prayer Breakfast in Fort Myers.

The Olympian delivered a moving discourse on perseverance and combating obstacles, a message of great value to all our citizens - especially our young men and women graduating from high school and college.

Mills, the only American ever to win a gold medal in the 10,000-meter Olympics race, gave the keynote address at the breakfast.

He told his story of growing up as an orphaned, poor and dysfunctional American Indian boy in South Dakota.

He related his feelings of hatred, anger and jealousy after losing his mother when he was 8.

He told of his dream to compete in the Olympics and his journey to achieving the big upset at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He said he felt he had grown wings on his feet to help him overcome a substantial lead by his top competitors.

Mills also told of the struggles he faced as a American Indian - discrimination, isolation, stereotypes, all of which led him to a suicide attempt.

Through his riveting talk, Mills mixed in messages about respecting global diversity, combating domestic violence and showing humility -all important themes he masterfully wove throughout his narrative.

His messages about self-empowerment, never quitting and believing in one's self are equally as important.

In these days of economic difficulties caused by the Great Recession, Mills' humane message should give us all the confidence to say it's OK to dream even during hard times.

The journey is more important than the destination, he said.

The annual prayer breakfast, now in its 28th year, drew more than 1,400 people, including dignitaries, elected officials and religious leaders of different faiths.

It coincided with National Day of Prayer.

Local religious leaders read scripture and offered prayers for the community.

One unscripted moment took the audience by surprise: First United Methodist Church Pastor Lia Willetts took the microphone and challenged the community and faith leaders to end exclusion of women and minorities.

Willetts' speech, while perhaps well-intentioned, had a hint of self-aggrandizement.

And while organizers and some attendees expressed discontent or confusion over her remarks, they should not let it distract from Mills' message.

Remember, the journey is more important than the destination.