Tuesday, July 1, 2014

I want to be like her when I grow up

From Masterstrack, Olga setting a new world record
I just learned about Olga Kotelko yesterday, when one of my Facebook friends shared a link that Olga died on Tuesday at the age of 95. Her personal story is rather amazing, but when I found that she lived in West Vancouver, Canada, a few miles away from me, I felt humbled to think that I might have actually rubbed elbows with her, if I'd only been aware of her existence. Maybe I did and didn't know it.

Olga was a teacher until she retired at 65. She took up slow-pitch baseball at the age of 70, playing five different positions. Somewhere I read that she was quite competitive and enjoyed it very much. But then when she turned 77, someone suggested that she compete in track and field. She didn't realize, she said, that people her age even did that sort of thing. But boy, did she take to it like a duck to water! She has her own web page, and was just getting ready to start on a book tour to promote her new book, Olga: The O.K. Way to a Healthy Happy Life, and she was looking forward to competing in a new age category, since she turned 95 in March. Actually, she went to Budapest and just recently won a bazillion medals in her new W95 age group.

According to that blog post (linked under her picture, from Masterstrack), her Canadian author friend Bruce Grierson called Ken Stone, who writes the blog, with the news that Olga had died this past Tuesday of an intracranial hemorrhage. She was in a coma for a few days before she finally passed away. From the article, a quote from Bruce:
"Doctors say she would have lost consciousness immediately — zero suffering. It was — albeit premature and shocking — the perfect way to go out. She left nothing significant undone or undreamed. Gerontologists talk about ‘squaring the curve’ — i.e., living life ablaze with little or no decline toward the end, and then an abrupt demise. Olga squared the curve with a ruler. It was a real gift to get to know her. She changed my life, for sure.” Bruce published “What Makes Olga Run?” this year and went on tour with her. 
Anyway, she was definitely an exceptional person, and she was obviously born with the perfect combination of genes and personality to become the outstanding athlete that she was. Right now I'm happy to introduce my blogging friends to a real light in the world. The two books just published will ensure that Olga will not be forgotten for a long time. I found this lovely two-and-a-half minute YouTube video on her website.



Enjoy! Blue skies, Olga.
:-)

22 comments:

  1. oh my goodness. what a beautiful, strong, determined woman - right to the end. bless her.

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  2. Wow. What an incredible woman. Love it - and thank you.

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  3. Great post, DJan. I'll bet Olga is still running... somewhere.

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  4. We should all take heart and live a full life as she did. Bless her heart.

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  5. Oh yes! I'd really love to be like her too. What an inspiration! You're just like her, DJan.

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  6. ha. what an amazing woman...and an amazing story she has to tell..i am sorry she passed esp with being so close you could have met...she inspires the same way that you do, honestly...smiles.

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  7. Let's hear it for squaring the curve!

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  8. Sunday I listened to a radio interview with Olga. It's the second time I heard the interview. she lived an amazing life.

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  9. What an amazing woman! She has given the rest of us something to strive for. Thanks so much for sharing this DJan.

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  10. I do love the concept of squaring the curve. It's wonderful to see an example of how it's done.

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  11. Sorry you lost a friend, DJan. But she sounds like one amazing lady.

    Something for you on my blog, tomorrow.

    Blessings and Bear hugs!

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  12. I read the Bruce Grierson book about her a cpl. of months ago -- she truly was an exceptional person. Sorry to hear of her passing ... RIP Olga.

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  13. Hi, DJan! We could all only hope that our genes would support getting to this age with so much energy. Great role model for all of us.

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  14. What an amazing woman. She reminds me of someone I know---oh that's right--you.
    What a great reward for such a positive and active life--- a quick and painless passing.
    RIP does not stand for "Rest in Peace" in her case but "Run in Paradise". RIP Olga.

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  15. Yes, she reminds me of you, too. :)
    That's the way to go, I guess...sudden and still doing things you love. No long drawn out goodbyes for Olga!
    Thanks for sharing this.

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  16. She had such a healthy lifestyle. What really struck me in her video is her sharp mind and absolutely no dementia.

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  17. She had a passion, life. She lived it full tilt!

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  18. Amazing. Now I've got something to shoot for....:)

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  19. Great woman who stayed active and did things that made her happy. Very inspirational.

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  20. What an amazing lady. Thanks for sharing the story. You are so right, I would love to be like her when I grow up. Maybe in another 8 years I can take up running! Haha. I've never been one to run. My mother wouldn't allow me to run when I was a child as I would fall and skin my knee. Or the dog would chase me and catch and tear my dress.

    DJan, you are just as inspiring as this lady, and I'm sure you will do all the things you have planned or dreamed of.

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  21. She looked so fit. I'm sorry she has died but it comes to us, eventually - fit or not.

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