About the Event:
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Who is Dick Beardsley?
For a brief moment during the 1982 Boston Marathon, Dick became the most famous athlete in the world - by losing the race. That was the beginning of a lifetime of extreme highs and devastating lows. After he retired from competitive running, a series of near-fatal accidents left him physically broken. In November of 1989, while using an auger to lift corn into a bin on his Minnesota farm, Dick became entangled in the machine; it began to literally tear him apart. Dick was not expected to live or walk—much less ever run again—but through hard work and dedication he survived. During the next few years, Dick was involved in a severe car accident, later he was hit by a truck while running, later still, he rolled his vehicle in a snowstorm. |
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If that wasn’t enough, while hiking one day the ground gave way and he fell from a cliff. Each time he ended up in the hospital with multiple surgeries and each time the doctors were able to put him back together, giving him another chance at life. These injuries, understandably, took their toll on Dick’s body.
He would go from doctor to doctor obtaining pain killers, ultimately forging his own prescriptions. Dick found himself spiraling out of control and addicted to prescription narcotics.
It wasn’t easy, but he faced those challenges with faith, hope, and perseverance. He redeemed himself.
He found the strength to go on, only to be faced with the greatest challenge of his life. Dick’s son, Andy, died by suicide. Andy was a victim of PTSD due to his time spent serving our country during the Iraq war.
To learn more about Dick’s incredible story of faith, hope and perseverance, come to the Friday Presentation on Friday, December 9 at the North Dakota Heritage Center.
He would go from doctor to doctor obtaining pain killers, ultimately forging his own prescriptions. Dick found himself spiraling out of control and addicted to prescription narcotics.
It wasn’t easy, but he faced those challenges with faith, hope, and perseverance. He redeemed himself.
He found the strength to go on, only to be faced with the greatest challenge of his life. Dick’s son, Andy, died by suicide. Andy was a victim of PTSD due to his time spent serving our country during the Iraq war.
To learn more about Dick’s incredible story of faith, hope and perseverance, come to the Friday Presentation on Friday, December 9 at the North Dakota Heritage Center.