February 19 - Day 215

The Great Zamperini.

I just finished reading Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, And Redemption. I was interested in reading the book after I read A Runner's World article "Life According To Louie" and an excerpt from Unbroken. Louie, today 93 years old, began as a juvenile delinquent, was coaxed into running by his older brother to become a young running sensation - competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. During WWII he was an odyssey after the crash of his B24 and 47 days adrift on a raft in the Pacific Ocean, followed by 2 years as a POW in a Japanese Labour Camp. At 93 Louie still runs (just not far) and still fly planes with an 88 year old buddy whose wife is fearful of him flying alone. He's carried Olympic torches and been qualified in 83 professions. The story of Louie's triumphs and pitfalls before, during and after the war are something else. After reading the story you can see how "The Great Zamperini" nickname suits him.