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June 13, 2006
Pool named after famous alum
The Swimming Center at the Texas School for the Deaf now bears the name of a famous alum. Leroy Colombo became deaf and paralyzed at age seven. Through swimming he built up his strength and learned to walk again.
After his time at the School for the Deaf in South Austin, Colombo became a lifeguard in Galveston. He earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for saving more than 900 lives.
"He actually used to dive into these oil spills when barges would crash in Galveston and he saved many people in those kinds of situations. Apparently he had no fear and he was a very skilled lifeguard," school official Claire Bugen said.
The Texas Legislature approved the measure to rename the Swimming Center last year.
The deaf school also celebrated another distinction this weekend. The state dedicated an official historical marker on the South Austin campus that tells how the school was created in Austin 150 years ago.
Source: http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=163993&SecID=2
Posted by 4HL on June 13, 2006 5:17 AM
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