Let it Snow

The untimely death of Randy Snow leaves the world without one of its most colorful, inspirational, and charismatic icons - but his legacy lives on.

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When I heard Randy Snow, my longtime friend, had suddenly and unexpectedly died at age 50, the shock and devastation hit me like a bolt out of the blue. How could this happen to someone so young, so full of life? I wondered. The unfairness of it all overwhelmed me, and my anger and grief flared hotly for weeks. As the reality of his passing began to settle in, I was able to start putting his life and legacy into perspective. I couldn’t help but smile. After all, I’d had the blessing of sharing my life with Randy as a friend, a fan, a co-worker, and a fellow adventurer for 29 years. And I took comfort in the fact that he left us in the way we all want to go: quickly, peacefully, and in the full bloom of life. He was doing what he loved—teaching a tennis camp on a sunny 80° day in El Salvador with his friend, Bill Hammett.

Since his passing on November 19, the world has tried—and failed—to give Randy a single, fitting label. He was many things to many people: a trailblazing pioneer, a fierce competitor, a patient teacher, a savvy businessman, a fun-loving goofball, a force of will. But all who knew him would agree that he was, above all, a loving and compassionate soul, a devoted family man, and a dear friend. Randy was truly a transformative figure.

The start of a beautiful friendship

I first met Randy in 1980 when I began competing in wheelchair tennis and manufacturing Quickie wheelchairs with two friends. Randy caught my attention not only because of his sports talent but also because of his charismatic personality. He was the right man at the right time for wheelchair sports—a tenacious pioneer who opened doors, pushed limits, inspired some of the world’s greatest athletes, and created awareness that positively changed the attitudes of many in the able-bodied world. No matter how large or small his audience, Randy was a passionate advocate, always creating a humorous, high-energy experience that was as inspiring as it was memorable.

After winning the Men's Singles Championships at the 1991 U.S. Open (shown here), Snow announced his retirement. He dominated the Open, capturing 10 singles and 6 doubles titles.

Randy excelled in basketball, track, and tennis, becoming the only athlete in history to medal in three different sports simultaneously at three different summer Paralympic Games. He also won 16 U.S. Open Wheelchair Tennis titles—six in singles and ten in doubles. In 1984, Randy competed in the first-ever 1,500-meter wheelchair track race at the Los Angeles Olympics, winning a silver medal in front of 80,000 screaming fans.

“The guy had amazing talent, and we became instant friends,” said National Foundation of Wheelchair Tennis (NFWT) founder Brad Parks. “Randy was like a sponge—he just wanted to get better at everything he did. He always tried to learn from other people who were more advanced. If you look at it in golf terms, he would be considered the Jack Nicklaus of wheelchair tennis, and one of the most influential wheelchair athletes of all time.”

By the 1990s, Randy had firmly established himself as a living legend. At the 1996 Paralympic Games, he took the Paralympic torch from President Clinton at the White House. Later, he took a torch from President George W. Bush to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act. And as one of the most influential leaders in the Paralympic movement, it was only appropriate Randy be honored in 2004 as the first Paralympic athlete inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame, sharing the podium with fellow 2004 inductees Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Florence Griffith Joyner, Matt Biondi, Dan Jansen, and Bonnie Blair.

A teacher with class

One of Randy’s great passions in life was teaching sports, especially in underprivileged countries. He was definitely in his element running camps. One of his hallmarks was assigning playful nicknames to everyone. No one was ever excluded from his sphere of humor, but the laughter was never at anyone’s expense—he was simply letting the participants know he was looking out for them, that each was unique and had something special to offer.

“Randy’s athletic résumé and uniquely personal approach to teaching led to the construction of the Lakeshore Foundation’s Paralympic Training Center,” said coach Frank Burns. “Here, he created awareness within the medical community and beyond of the positive effects of sports rehabilitation on newly-disabled individuals.”

Check out the complete articles by Marilyn Hamilton and Dave Kiley in the March 2010 S’NS.

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