SPIRIT OF THE GAMES

As a young boy growing up in rural Wisconsin, Phillip Rosenberg, 62, was surrounded by heroes. His father and three uncles had served in World War II. One uncle was shot down over the English Channel. His father fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

“It seemed like every adult male had served,” said Rosenberg, a native of Pulaski, Wis., a town of 5,000 people best known for “Pulaski Polka Days”, one of the largest festivals dedicated to the Polish in the United States. “When I came of age, it was just my turn, so I enlisted.”

Serving in the 1960’s almost certainly meant an all-expenses paid trip to Vietnam. Arriving in 1969, Rosenberg served with the famed 82nd Airborne Division located at Phu Loi and the 9th Infantry Division located at Dong Tam. Midway through the tour, he was wounded and received the Purple Heart.

Read More >

Wheelchair Unbound: Overcoming Life's smallest challenges

Ever stub your toe on an uneven sidewalk or slam your knuckles on a door too narrow? How about walking uphill on terrain in loose gravel? Frustrating, annoying and aggravating. Yes, all of that. Now try doing it everyday in a wheelchair. Since 2003, Veteran Pete Moore from Boston, Mass., has been navigating through life’s most commonplace challenges with zeal.

“The world simply isn’t designed for us,” said Moore, an aerospace engineer. “Since my motorcycle accident, I’ve had to have a new mind-set.”

Part of that mind-set includes thinking and planning hours ahead.

“If I want to go to a restaurant, I call to see if they are handicap accessible,” said Moore, “but I really have to spell out my needs. People think they are, but sometimes not.”

Read More >

Starting Over

Michael Kabat, 61, a decorated Vietnam Veteran from Onalaska, Wi. is a people person. As a plumbing equipment salesman, he traveled throughout western Wisconsin, often stopping just to say hello to his customers or the local clerk at a convenience store. If there was something special in their life, a birthday or anniversary, he remembered it, just to make them feel special. When he wasn’t driving from destination to destination, Michael ran there. During the course of his adult life, he had competed in several marathons and had logged over 40,000 miles. Then, one day in September 2008, while cross training for another marathon, he crashed on his bicycle. It all changed, in the blink of an eye.

“I was descending down a hill,” said Michael, “and looked back toward my riding partners behind me. That’s all I really remember.”

Read More >