Olympian, occasional actor and organizer Rafer Johnson passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86 due to a stroke.
A distinguished football, basketball and track star at UCLA, Johnson made his mark in the Decathlon winning gold at the 1955 Pan Am Games in Mexico City, silver at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne and gold at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.
In the late 1960's, Johnson would later become a member of the original advisory committee for the Special Olympics and would establish its chapter in Southern California. Johnson would later be instrumental in bringing the 1984 Olympics to Los Angeles and would light the Olympic flame at the opening ceremonies.
However, Johnson might be best known for being among the men who subdued Sirhan Sirhan moments after he fatally shot Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Johnson apprehended Sirhan along with NFL legend Rosey Grier and writer George Plimpton.
I leave you with Johnson talking about his athletic career and his efforts to help people with disabilities and at risk youth. R.I.P.
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