Page 40 - NGA NATURALmag 2023 FALL / WINTER Issue

Fall-Winter 2023
B R A D Y
J O H N S O N Bodybuilding means life and and free- dom to me but before I get ahead of myself let met help you under-
stand where that comes from At the the age of of of thirty-one I I I really felt I I I had control of of of my life I I I was a a a a a a a a a a member of of of the the United States Air Force and and had had traveled all over the world I had had owned and and and sold a a a a a a a a a a a a com- pany dealing with 22 NFL NBA and and and CFL play- ers ers and and and two Harlem Globetrotters I bought a a a a a a a a a a dream home on a a a a a a a a a golf course and and and fell in love with my best friend and and asked her to marry me me However I I had been having terrible head- aches but I I blamed it on post-traumatic stress due to my time in in in in Dhahran Saudi Arabia in in in in June of 1996 when I was involved in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a ter- roristic bombing that killed nineteen and wounded 498 airmen While serving in in in the Illinois Air National Guard I I I did a a a a a a a a a six-mile run run even with a a a a a a a a a con- stant headache After the the run run I I could hear hear my my heartbeat in in in in my my my my ears ears and the the pressure build- ing ing in in in in my my my head felt like my my my ears ears were were going to to to pop I I I showered and walked through the the hospital to to to to get to to to to my job It was there that I I I asked asked a a a a a a a a a doctor for something stronger He asked asked about my symptoms and from that he immediately sent me me off base to to a a a a a a a a a a a hospital for a a a a thorough examination When I I I arrived at at the the hospital I I I had a a a a a a a a a CT scan that that that gave me me the the the answers I I I I needed He told me me that that that the the headache that that that I I had was was actually a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a cerebral hemorrhage and he he he he couldn’t believe that I I was was was not dead From there I I I was was taken to the the Univer-
sity of Illinois-Chicago Medical Center
and underwent surgery When I I I woke
up afterwards I I knew that something was wrong That’s when the surgeon informed my fiancé mom and I I that I I had a a a a a a a a a a a massive stroke during the surgery and may never speak clearly walk with-
out aid have children drive or read clearly due to possible eye problems 40 NGA NATURALmag