By Rusty Potter
Jesse Owens was born the son of a sharecropper and the grandson of slaves. He was a frail child who was often sick with chronic bronchial congestion and pneumonia. As an adult, he was a legendary athlete who became the first American to win four track and field gold medals in a single Olympic game in Nazi Germany. He achieved what no Olympian before him had accomplished. Adolph Hitler became angry at the athlete so he refused to shake the hand of Jesse Owens. Jesse Owens did not worry about the snub of Hitler, he continued to stay focused on his dream.
Jesse Owens said, “We all have dreams but in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” After a lifetime on the track, Jesse Owens devoted his life to inspiring underprivileged youth to achieve their goals in life. Owens also said, “Find the good. It’s all around you. Find it, showcase it, and you will start believing it.”
