Hail to the Dinosaurs!
You've probably heard the news by now.
Weightlifting champion Tommy Kono
passed away on April 24 at the age
of 85.
Tommy Kono may have been the greatest
weightlifter of all time. He won six World
championships, two Olympic gold medals
and a silver medal in his last Olympics.
He was the only weightlifter in history to
set official world records in FOUR
different weight classes: 148, 165,
181 and 198 pounds.
He also won the Mr. Universe title four
times.
Tommy Kono was a tireless spokesman
for the sport of weightlifting. He traveled
the world promoting the sport, and gave
freely of his time and knowledge to help
teach and inspire others.
Like so many others, I consider Tommy
Kono to have been a friend, mentor, and
teacher. He shared many nuggets of Iron
Game history with me - and I'll share
them with you in future emails and in
The Dinosaur Files newsletter.
When I learned that Tommy was ill,
I asked the Dinosaur Nation to send
cards and letters to me so that I could
forward them on to him. You responded
with overwhelming support. We sent
half a dozen big bundles of cards, notes
and letters to Tommy.
One of them was from a Dinosaur who
remembers seeing Tommy Kono training
at the local YMCA when he was a kid.
Later, when he began training, our
Dino realized who it was that he had
seen - and what it meant to be training
with the same barbells and dumbbells
that Tommy Kono once used.
I'm sure the cards and letters were
appreciated. So THANK YOU to all the
Dinos who helped support that effort.
About one month ago, I received a
letter from Tommy. It was a short note,
typed, and he probably sent the same
note to all of his friends around the
world. He had MANY friends - far
more than most people. It was
part of his magic.
Let me share Tommy Kono's final
message with you.
Tommy began by apologizing for not
having responded to earlier written
communications from his friends.
He explained that he was dying of
liver disease and related complications.
He concluded by saying something very
important for all of us:
We all develop health problems in the
end. After all, life is for the living so
enjoy the journey while you can!
Thank you for your friendship throughout
the years.
Aloha and Best Wishes,
Tommy T. Kono
And now Tommy Kono is gone - but not
- not ever - forgotten.
Join me in moment of silence, and honor
the memory of this remarkable man.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
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