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“Such is Life”, if you have known BJ for any period of time, you have probably heard him say these words.
Let me start by telling you what I know about BJ. I have known BJ since I began teaching in Wilber, 25 years ago. I first knew BJ as the newspaper guy from the Crete News. It didn’t take long to learn that there was a lot more about BJ then just the “newspaper guy”. It is easy to quickly call BJ a friend, BJ is friendly, outgoing and quite likeable. I learned quickly that BJ cared about people and in his work as a sports writer it was obvious that he cared about kids. It is said that sports don’t build character, they reveal it and this is probably true. You see a lot of good and bad examples of kids being kids on the sports field. There are once in a lifetime performances and both sportsmanlike and not so sportsmanlike conduct. I am sure BJ saw it all, but if you read his articles all you would ever know of, is the good. BJ had a way of making even the poorest performance sound like it was heroic. In talking to him after a game a coach could always be open and honest and trust that BJ would not only make him sound intelligent, but he always made it seem like he should be a candidate for coach of the year. He never wrote about the bad, he portrayed players and coaches in the most positive light.
This is just a small part of the wonderful person that BJ is and what an asset to our communities he is. BJ is a talented pianist who often used his skill to accompany groups or individuals, as well as playing for his congregation. BJ was skilled with electronics and was always good with computers. More than once he answered questions for me, and no matter how simple the answer, he was never one to belittle someone because they didn’t understand. In his time as Saline County Emergency Manager, he accomplished much, including spearheading a project to upgrade the county radio system, so law enforcement and first responders would never have to worry about being out of contact. He serves on the county ag board and is a fixture at the county fair. At the annual Wilber Czech Festival, BJ has helped with many things including running the soundboard at the outdoor theater and at the trailer theater at the courthouse before the theater was built. BJ was always backstage running sound during the National Miss Czech Slovak Pageant and was always quick with a smile and a reassuring word for a nervous queen.
I could go on and on about BJ because there is so much to say about someone who has been a fixture in Saline County for so many years, not to mention in gyms and sidelines at schools throughout the region, but it is time to explain how we can return the favor, and help BJ.
As many of you know he has been having health issues for years, BJ suffers from diabetes, a disease that can be incredibly debilitating. It has caused him to have both legs below the knee amputated, he is losing use of his fingers and is no longer able to play the piano or type on a keyboard very well. Always one to make the best of his situation and always looking to help others, when his health made it impossible to continue as county emergency manager, BJ created Saline Weather Services to help keep citizens of Saline County up to date on severe weather using social media and email.The most recent setback that BJ had, was two heart attacks at the end of October. The doctors told BJ and his parents that he defied all odds by surviving, of course those of us that know him, know what a huge heart he has and weren’t surprised at its capacity to live on. As a double amputee, it is difficult to work and BJ has been reduced to covering as many sporting events as his health will allow, all the time in his wheelchair smiling behind his camera. Not one to complain, when asked, BJ will tell his story and always ends with, what has become his motto, “such is life.”
BJ has to rely on his aging parents for much help including transportation. They take him to his appointments, games and rehab. Their van that they relied on to transport BJ recently reached the end of its useful life and they have been using BJ’s but it is quickly reaching the end of the line as well. The apartment where BJ lives in not handicapped accessible and to save money he would really like to move back to the family farm but the 90 year old farmhouse is also not handicapped accessible and will require modification before he can accomplish this goal.
I am asking all who read this to consider doing what you can to help BJ. Any monetary contribution will be put toward medical bills and making BJ’s world more handicapped accessible. BJ is not a person that looks for handouts and he wants to continue to be a productive citizen, unfortunately he can’t do that without some help from all of us. Let me leave you with one last story about BJ and his grit and desire to be productive. 2016 saw an incredible run for BJ’s alma mater the Wilber-Clatonia Wolverines in football. The Wolverines made it to the championship game at memorial stadium and if you looked on the sidelines you could see, there with his camera, BJ. Now this might not be so remarkable to see a sports reporter on the sideline of a championship football game but remember, BJ had nearly died from two heart attacks at the end of October. He had somehow talked himself out of the rehab facility he was in at the time to make sure he was there to cheer on his home team.
Again I am asking you for any help you can give to BJ. Please share this story with your friends, real and virtual. BJ would gratefully accept any prayers for his continued recovery and improving health.
Let me start by telling you what I know about BJ. I have known BJ since I began teaching in Wilber, 25 years ago. I first knew BJ as the newspaper guy from the Crete News. It didn’t take long to learn that there was a lot more about BJ then just the “newspaper guy”. It is easy to quickly call BJ a friend, BJ is friendly, outgoing and quite likeable. I learned quickly that BJ cared about people and in his work as a sports writer it was obvious that he cared about kids. It is said that sports don’t build character, they reveal it and this is probably true. You see a lot of good and bad examples of kids being kids on the sports field. There are once in a lifetime performances and both sportsmanlike and not so sportsmanlike conduct. I am sure BJ saw it all, but if you read his articles all you would ever know of, is the good. BJ had a way of making even the poorest performance sound like it was heroic. In talking to him after a game a coach could always be open and honest and trust that BJ would not only make him sound intelligent, but he always made it seem like he should be a candidate for coach of the year. He never wrote about the bad, he portrayed players and coaches in the most positive light.
This is just a small part of the wonderful person that BJ is and what an asset to our communities he is. BJ is a talented pianist who often used his skill to accompany groups or individuals, as well as playing for his congregation. BJ was skilled with electronics and was always good with computers. More than once he answered questions for me, and no matter how simple the answer, he was never one to belittle someone because they didn’t understand. In his time as Saline County Emergency Manager, he accomplished much, including spearheading a project to upgrade the county radio system, so law enforcement and first responders would never have to worry about being out of contact. He serves on the county ag board and is a fixture at the county fair. At the annual Wilber Czech Festival, BJ has helped with many things including running the soundboard at the outdoor theater and at the trailer theater at the courthouse before the theater was built. BJ was always backstage running sound during the National Miss Czech Slovak Pageant and was always quick with a smile and a reassuring word for a nervous queen.
I could go on and on about BJ because there is so much to say about someone who has been a fixture in Saline County for so many years, not to mention in gyms and sidelines at schools throughout the region, but it is time to explain how we can return the favor, and help BJ.
As many of you know he has been having health issues for years, BJ suffers from diabetes, a disease that can be incredibly debilitating. It has caused him to have both legs below the knee amputated, he is losing use of his fingers and is no longer able to play the piano or type on a keyboard very well. Always one to make the best of his situation and always looking to help others, when his health made it impossible to continue as county emergency manager, BJ created Saline Weather Services to help keep citizens of Saline County up to date on severe weather using social media and email.The most recent setback that BJ had, was two heart attacks at the end of October. The doctors told BJ and his parents that he defied all odds by surviving, of course those of us that know him, know what a huge heart he has and weren’t surprised at its capacity to live on. As a double amputee, it is difficult to work and BJ has been reduced to covering as many sporting events as his health will allow, all the time in his wheelchair smiling behind his camera. Not one to complain, when asked, BJ will tell his story and always ends with, what has become his motto, “such is life.”
BJ has to rely on his aging parents for much help including transportation. They take him to his appointments, games and rehab. Their van that they relied on to transport BJ recently reached the end of its useful life and they have been using BJ’s but it is quickly reaching the end of the line as well. The apartment where BJ lives in not handicapped accessible and to save money he would really like to move back to the family farm but the 90 year old farmhouse is also not handicapped accessible and will require modification before he can accomplish this goal.
I am asking all who read this to consider doing what you can to help BJ. Any monetary contribution will be put toward medical bills and making BJ’s world more handicapped accessible. BJ is not a person that looks for handouts and he wants to continue to be a productive citizen, unfortunately he can’t do that without some help from all of us. Let me leave you with one last story about BJ and his grit and desire to be productive. 2016 saw an incredible run for BJ’s alma mater the Wilber-Clatonia Wolverines in football. The Wolverines made it to the championship game at memorial stadium and if you looked on the sidelines you could see, there with his camera, BJ. Now this might not be so remarkable to see a sports reporter on the sideline of a championship football game but remember, BJ had nearly died from two heart attacks at the end of October. He had somehow talked himself out of the rehab facility he was in at the time to make sure he was there to cheer on his home team.
Again I am asking you for any help you can give to BJ. Please share this story with your friends, real and virtual. BJ would gratefully accept any prayers for his continued recovery and improving health.
Organizer and beneficiary
BJ Fictum
Beneficiary