[Texaswheelz]

I don't know how many people on here who have heard of Randy Snow or had the pleasure of meeting him, but he has died while in El Salvador while on a trip doing what he loved, playing tennis. Randy was one of the most successful gold medal wheelchair athletes in history. He he received the Paralympic torch from President Clinton in Washington, kicking off the Atlanta Paralympic Games in 1996. In 2004, he was the first Paralympian inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame and won medals in 3 different sports over 4 Paralympics.

I was lucky enough to meet him a couple of times here in Dallas as he was a resident of Temple Texas. Every time I saw him he had a great big smile on his face and was always chatting some one up, next to Zupan, he was as close to I've seen as a celebrity in a chair, both as down home and unassuming as he could be.

At this time no is is for sure on what happened, he was found in his room Thursday evening whith a cut on his head and could not be revived. They are not sure if he fell transferring and hit his head and then died or maybe had a heart attack which caused him to fall and hit his head. My tennis coach who was on the trip with him is the one that found him.

As a wheelchair athlete myself, this is a huge loss to our ranks and one that will be sorely missed. He was an inspiration to all who met him or knew of him.

Picture was taking Wednesday and sent to a friend of mine.

[Tetracyclone]

It sounds like a quick and painless exit. I salute his life.

[mellowgator]

hi texaswheelz,

i know you posted this over a year ago but i've just come across it. i met randy snow in gainesville about 10 years ago at a gator sports camp and i later participated in a tennis camp he held in jacksonville, fl.

he was a great tennis player as well as a world class nut job. he was as wild as he was athletic and was quite raunchy. he always made me laugh in disbelief.

as i recall he traveled the world and wrote a couple of books. may he rest in peace.

mellowgator

This post has been edited by mellowgator: 15 September 2010 - 08:05 PM