Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Laguna Beach's Oldest Lifeguard Vet, Johnny Garau

During my workouts at the YMCA a few years back, I heard this "Legend of Laguna", Johnny Garau, talking story about the Olympics in Barcelona.  The topic of the Olympics is automatically a cue for me to join in the conversation. Many stories followed before Johnny 'caught the last boat', August 23, 2013. He was ready.  He was ready.

ALOHA JOHNNY, now we'll keep our eyes open for your sailboat, O'Johnny, in the Dana Point Harbor.

Such a character! Such a surfer! Such a history!

Johnny was named after his dad, Aurelio, when he was born in 1925.  He was brought up and lived most of his life in Laguna Beach.  He also lived on his boat in the Dana Point Harbor for 35 years.  Up until last week he was Laguna Beach's oldest living lifeguard vet. Many locals smile when they recall meeting him and how, at one time, he swam or surfed to work! Yup, he kept his boat out in the ocean, not far from Thalia Street Beach in the old days. He would dive off his boat in the morning and surf to the beach.

When he was a kid out on the family ranch, he liked his tree house and liked to swing from the trees just like his idol, Tarzan, Johnny Weismuller.  Johnny Weismuller, recipient of five gold medals in swimming during Olympic Games in the 1920's.  Johnny Garau had lots of names. Aurelio, Frenchy, Uncle and Junior were a few. He liked the name "Johnny" best because of Weismuller and it stuck.  His parents asked him what he would like for his First Communion present when he was seven years old. He told them he wanted to see the Tarzan movie.  After they took him for pie at Knott's Berry Farm, they all went to see the movie Tarzan the Ape.

His dad, who became a father late in life, was his first teacher along with his very proper mom and the German Dominican nuns at St Catherine's Military Academy. There were many rules for him while growing up and this is what gave him a strong foundation which enabled him, I believe, to fly so high in life. Again, such a character!

His dad had an exciting life. He went hunting in North Aftica while in the military 'as a kid', worked in a mine and later worked in the restaurant and catering business. He catered for dignitaries and eventually Queen Victoria's Funeral. He moved to the east coast of the USA, worked at world fairs and went hunting with Teddy Roosevelt. Later moved to California and among many things, owned the Cotton Club in Los Angeles and Victor Hugo's, now Las Brisas, in Laguna Beach.  His dad was friends with several of the first Hollywood movie stars including Mary Pickford, as well as the opera singer, Caruso and the musician Cab Calloway. His mom spoke four languages. She came from the Blanchard Family who ran wagon trains, some of them from Canada, during the pioneering days. One of the wagon train stops was Las Vegas, New Mexico where Johnny's mother was raised. She was born in Texas. There is great history from both sides of his grandparents as well.

He often spoke of the afterlife...
was more than ready...
for those Olympic sized...
waves in the sky.

Aloha Johnny.

We are all one
in one Great Spirit.

(to be continued)






Sunday, August 4, 2013

Great Olympic Fan, Eleanor Weems, World War II Pilot Flying Higher

This incredibly awesome woman, my 'California Mum', is one of the reasons I am writing this blog. It has been Eleanor's great enthusiasm for the entire Olympic movement that first got me interested in the games during the summer my sister and I lived with her family many years ago.

Her daughter, Frances, phoned me Friday to tell me her mom, (96 years old), was not responding.

Could do nothing else but head to be with her in Newport Beach, California.

After being by her side through the night last night, breathing with her, Fran and I went a few blocks away to 8:00 A.M. Sunday Mass at the little chapel on Balboa Island.

At 8:35 A.M. this morning, exactly when we were receiving Holy Communion, Eleanor left her earthly body. In her time...in His time.

Our World War II pilot passed beyond the clouds she once flew in.

She's now flying higher...stronger.