Tragic Journey: Bill Johnson Going Off Life Support

**GoldMember** · 07-17-2013, 01:01 PM

Safe travels and Godspeed, Bill. You are one of a kind:

http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/201...-life-support/

Hugh Conway · 07-17-2013, 01:04 PM

Jesus:

Johnson, 53, was hospitalized June 29 and spent two weeks in intensive care while doctors unsuccessfully attempted to find the source of an infection that attacked all of his major organs

godspeed

**BigDaddy** · 07-17-2013, 01:34 PM

Truly remarkable skier... sad to see him go this way. Thanks for some great times in US skiing.

**Schnappi** · 07-17-2013, 02:03 PM

**Johnny Deep** · 07-17-2013, 02:30 PM

Damn, Bill. No one should have to cross over like this. Ever.

RIP

**GimpToo** · 07-17-2013, 02:38 PM

Peace will be yours soon. You put that extra 'kick' the US Ski Team needed . . . thanks to you.

**Grape_Ape** · 07-17-2013, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by Schnappi

The sheer athleticism of how he avoided that potential wipeout is truly impressive.

My dad perished from the same thing. So long Bill.

**BrianH** · 07-17-2013, 02:51 PM

He was a hero of mine.

**powdrhound** · 07-17-2013, 03:20 PM

Bill,
Thank you for the thrills and excitement that you gave us all.
Man, you can glide.
You did make a difference in this World.

Go in Peace.

**sar13** · 07-17-2013, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by BrianH

He IS a hero of mine.

Fixed it

**ddsnake** · 07-17-2013, 04:10 PM

So sad . I was very young, I watched him win the World Cup race at Whistler in 84 , me my Dad and friends where at "Coaches Corner" . Most Canadians disliked him. I could not believe he beat P. Muller , S Podborski , Todd Brooker ,etc .

We hated him .

In 84 he won Wengen , Aspen , Whistler , and the Olympics .

We had a place in Alpine , night before the race , my friend and I hitch hiked to the village (parents would not take us) to play video games at a hotel . After , we where hitch hiking home, a VW van stopped to pick us up . The peeps in the van were pro ski photographers from the US . They got us high (we were 13) and dropped us off at right at our place). The next morning , before the race , my friend and I started skiing the side of the downhill from the top , we saw the Photog's from our ride the night before at Double Trouble right at the snow fence .

We were stoked to see them . We talked to them and they said they had uploaded on the gondola with Bill Johnson and had been doing bong hits with him. They also told us they were in Wengen when Bill won and he was high on mushrooms ...

Good times , and much respect to Bill Johnson ,car thief from Van Nuys , Cali .

I also remember when Klammer called him a "nose picker". Hahaha

Respect

Just remembered , the dirtbag photographers mentioned above , sold me a t-shirt at the race ,it was pink and said "Team Deadly" with a pic of a downhill racer flying and the racer's face in the helmet was a skull ...
Wish I still had that shirt . Anyone ever know these guys? Splat ?

**userA** · 07-17-2013, 04:23 PM

i hope his spirit can rest.

spook · 07-17-2013, 04:32 PM

Very sad.

**splat** · 07-17-2013, 04:48 PM

I regret the night some guys called me because they were partying with Bill and said I should come over to hang with the wild man. I said I was going to bed.
Poor dude has gone through a shitstorm of suffering.

Peace out, Bill. Thanks for dropping into our worlds.

**HansJob** · 07-17-2013, 04:54 PM

++++joss your way, Bill.

**Slaag Master** · 07-17-2013, 07:23 PM

Gone, Gone, Gone Beyond, Gone Far Beyond, Be Set Upon Awakening!!!!

**BaNosser** · 07-17-2013, 08:17 PM

Johnson, 53, was hospitalized June 29 and spent two weeks in intensive care while doctors unsuccessfully attempted to find the source of an infection that attacked all of his major organs

wtf??
.
Never forget your gold medal prediction... sticking it to those Euros..
God's Speed

**MTT** · 07-17-2013, 08:43 PM

He made me care about world cup skiing for a year or two.

The sport and personalities at that time were really full of themselves. He was a breath of fresh air.

thanks Bill.

RIP

**dark_star** · 07-17-2013, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by Grape_Ape

The sheer athleticism of how he avoided that potential wipeout is truly impressive.

My dad perished from the same thing. So long Bill.

Incredible skiing. God bless. A reminder to the rest of us to savor the time we have.

**TomCrac** · 07-17-2013, 10:26 PM

You will be missed Bill. Did not know you personally but thanks for some great memories.

Seriously, wtf..... Somebody not knowing who he is, if they read his life story they would call bullshit. Sad.

**Canada1** · 07-17-2013, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by dark_star

Incredible skiing. God bless.

He made a run where he took it off of some hay bails and continued on to a podium. I don't remember where or when, but it remains one of the coolest things I have ever seen on skis. If someone could find that it would be super cool.

**beer30** · 07-18-2013, 05:19 PM

He broke the glass ceiling for team USA. Lets carry on that memory this winter in Sochi! Hope they lift glasses in Government Camp tonight. See ya on the other side Bill.

**bodywhomper** · 07-18-2013, 06:40 PM

let's not put the cart in front of the horse yet. unless there's more up to date news, according to yesteday's AP article he's still alive, quote from his mother, "'He's a fighter,' she said. 'He's always been so strong and all I can say is I expect he's going to get stronger. As long as he keeps eating, he's going to be fine.'"

http://espn.go.com/olympics/skiing/s...ious-infection

**Slaag Master** · 07-18-2013, 06:43 PM

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_...wnhill-illness

another more in depth look at the situation. Bill is not dead. he is fighting on his own terms in his own way. will he win? in the long run we all go down. the way i see it Bill is on the most daring downhill run of his life!!!!! as beer30 stated he broke a glass ceiling before so perhaps the tribe could muster a deep earth vibe to cheer our friend during this "competition"!!! there will be an eternity to mourn each of our deaths - but not before the fuckin fat bitch screams!!!!! tribe up!!!! there must be a way for a common dirt bag to send +++vibes to the man!!!!!!!!