Photos & Story by Phil Gibboney, LifeMyWay Contributor

A few years ago, John helped out superstar Michael Jordan. Jordan was participating in a commercial to support Special Olympics. John, a cast member, was at the right place at the right time. During an interview at his home, it wasn’t clear exactly how he assisted the world's greatest basketball player but John, a Kankakee native, was clear about one thing: “I helped Michael out.”

To this day, John proudly exhibits the signed NBA basketball, given to him by Jordan. The basketball wasn’t all he gave John: he shared some advice too.

“He told me to keep on participating in Special Olympics,” John remembered.

John took Jordan's advice and has since acquired several Special Olympics medals. At his home at the Bethshan Association, an organization that provides services for 130 adults with disabilities in Palos Heights, John nimbly navigates his electric wheelchair through “pedestrian traffic.” He arrives with a smile at his room, where all his medals are prominently displayed. John excels in events such as wheelchair races, bowling and the softball throw.

“I have to concentrate very hard because the others are pretty good,” John said of his Special Olympics experiences.

Besides working and competing, John keeps busy in other ways. “I like to swim, go shopping, go to Cubs games and sleep,” he declared with enthusiasm. “I go to Wal-Mart, Target, Office Max and Office Depot. I buy cards and write notes on them.”

A passionate Chicago Cubs fan, John frequently wears his official Cubs jersey with pride. And like any other true fan, John takes his share of ribbing from his White Sox friends from the South Side. Still, his optimism is ever present.

“This will be their (the Cubs') year,” John noted.

Michael Jordan wasn’t the only celebrity with whom John has rubbed elbows. He also knows former Illinois governor George Ryan. He became friends with Ryan long before he became governor, when John’s mother worked at Ryan's pharmacy in Kankakee. John was saddened by Ryan's prison sentence.

“Mr. Ryan helped my mother and me a lot,” he said. “He shouldn’t have gone to jail because he didn’t do all of those things.”

What’s next for John? He can be found looking forward to the next Special Olympics competition and with any luck, if he’s in the presence of another celebrity, he’ll have a chance to help them out again.

After all, John does have experience in this kind of thing.

Click here to read John's story.

Have you ever met a celebrity? Tell us about it by emailing your experience to info@lifemyway.org

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