NEW PALTZ, NY — SUNY New Paltz junior Nick Johnson (Highland Mills, NY) returns to the men’s swim team with a new outlook on life. After a battle with vasculitis he is ready to return to the pool with a new appreciation for his health, family and friends.
In his first two years as a student-athlete, Johnson made quite the impact on the swim program and SUNY New Paltz athletics. He maintained a 3.5 grade point average and qualified for the Division I Eastern College Athletic Conference Meet in the 100 yard breaststroke twice. At the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championship Meet, he has posted the third highest point total on the men’s side in 2005 and 2006.
Out of the pool, Johnson made significant contributions to his campus and the New Paltz Community. He has participated in several service programs including; the SUNYAC Community Leaf Rake, Adopt-A-Family, the Student-Athlete Mentor program, was selected to attend the 2006 NCAA Leadership Conference and was recognized as an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sport Scholar in 2006.
His love for the sport of swimming and his commitment to the success of the team in and out of the pool is contagious. Unfortunately in the summer of 2006 Nick was diagnosed with vasculitis and his swim days came to an abrupt halt.
Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels in the body. In vasculitis, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own blood vessels, causing them to become inflamed. Inflammation can damage the blood vessels and lead to a number of serious complications.
For Johnson, vasculitis caused swelling on his brain, which affected his vision, balance, and short term memory. He developed lesions on his brain and had multiple mini strokes. Due to the severity of his condition, Johnson had to learn to walk and talk again. After being treated at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center he attempted to return to school for the fall 2006 semester but the vasculitis returned. On November 3rd, 2006 Nick was cleared, which he says was like being set free. He decided it was best for his health to take a leave of absence from school and swimming to focus on fully restoring his health.
Head Coach Dan Talleyrand said that when Nick’s illness was revealed to the team it was a big loss. “It took the wind out of [the teams] sail. Nick had a huge role on the team, especially on relays. But in a way it was an opportunity to see how strong the team was, and it gave others a chance to step up and fill the void that Nick left.”
Johnson said, “I was a normal, healthy 21-year old and in the blink of an eye my life changed. You don’t know how good [life] is until you come close to losing it. Everyday is a blessing and when you get knocked down you need to give your all to get back up.”
Johnson stated that he would not have been able to get through his battle with vasculitis without the support of his family, friends, teammates and coach. He is excited to be back in school and a part of the swim program. He has two years of eligibility left and looks forward to what the season holds. “I don’t expect to pick up where I left off in the pool. But with hard work and dedication I hope to come close,” stated Johnson. “Coach Talleyrand motivates me to push myself and become better everyday.”
Coach Talleyrand is glad to have Nick back in the pool. “He is a great motivator with a positive attitude and competitive spirit. We are excited to have him back and healthy. His main priority is to take care of himself and be the motivator that he is.”
Johnson fights daily battles which can be a struggle at times but he doesn’t let it get the best of him. The classroom has become more of a challenge for him due to the effect on his memory but everyday he is retaining more knowledge and improving. Johnson will graduate in 2010 with a bachelor of fine arts in painting and a minor in psychology. He would like to go onto graduate school to become an art therapist. He said that his illness opened his eyes as to what he is supposed to do with is life. He enjoys helping people and art is a great way to encourage people to get their feelings out. Nick’s final message is, “life is not set in stone; you don’t have control over it; appreciate everyday.”
