Joshua: Overcoming His Fear of Water to Become a Lifeguard
Training hard and persistence are no stranger to Josh, who’s been a certified lifeguard for 10 years, holds two other jobs, and is a member of his state Special Olympics Board of Directors.
When Josh first started getting involved in Special Olympics sports, he wanted to become a great swimmer. But he was too afraid to put his head under water. With time, care and training, Josh became a powerful swimmer.
Soon, his dream was to become a lifeguard, so he studied and trained hard toward certification and other requirements. His persistence paid off—and he’s been a certified lifeguard for nearly 10 years. He also attends the required monthly in-service trainings and passes all mandatory tests to stay certified.
He’s been a certified lifeguard for nearly 10 years
These days, Josh has three jobs: he works at Walgreens and the local technical college, AND serves as on-duty lifeguard at the sprawling city aquatics center. He is also a member of his state Special Olympics Board of Directors.
When he’s not working, he’s working out—and just won gold, silver and two bronze medals in powerlifting at the 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi.