BLIND FAITH
By Peter Vuono

     Some of my best memories from my youth stem from the Brockton, Ma. YMCA. It was here that I took the knowledge I learned from Muscular Development, Iron Man and Strength and Health and applied it in becoming a powerlifter. I enjoyed both the thrill of becoming stronger and the many friendships I made.Harvey Perala took me under his wing and he has been both my coach and sensei for over 40 years. Another friendship I fortuitously made was with John Cronin. John was so sincere and friendly that it was an easy thing to do in becoming his friend. John, like my future friend, Teddy Arcidi, was a "boss of the bench". We all marveled at his bench press which was in the mid 300's . In the 1960's it would have been nationally ranked.
     John and I each went our own path but I had heard from time to time that he was doing well and together with his wife, Alice, raised a wonderful family of 4 children. He also served a dedicated and precarious career as a firefighter and retired unscathed. John and I found a road that led us back to each other and we've been training together each Sunday for the past two years.
    Even now, at age 65, he raises eyebrows of friend Tom Kenney and all others who may catch him effortlessly bench pressing a pair of 65 lb. dumbells for an easy 15 reps. This, at 65, is a feat in itself but what is more extraordinary is that John is doing it while blind.
     A few years after his retirement, John ruptured his esophagus. This, by no means is a minor medical occurrence. In fact, it's the same injury that took from us, pro football player/wrestler- tough guy Dick the Bruiser. While undergoing surgery, John incurred a stroke. By the time he came out of the stroke, not enough blood was allowed into the optic nerve, thus leaving him blind.
     This however, only served to show the rest of us the magnitude of John's inner strength. He is always jocular and willing to either tell or listen to a joke. He cares about his friends and what they have to say and his physical strength still arouses my competetive spirit.
     Back in the 70's one of my favorite songs was a little known tune by John Dawson Read entitled "A Friend of Mine is Going Blind". Every time I now listen to it, I think of John. One verse reads,"A friend of mine is going blind but through the dimness, he sees so much better than me. And how he cherishes each new thing he sees; they are locked in his head. He will save them for when he's in darkness again"
     This is the John I know. He's taught me that in spite of any medical issue I have, that I shouldn't sulk and feel sorry for myself but rather take  the new challenge head on and do something positive with it. He's shown me that ill health doesn't mean that life ends; it just changes. More than any other man, he's strengthened my blind faith.