Cherrios

Veteran Bill Greene (foreground) gets an autograph from John Tuzzilino, an Army veteran and National Veterans Wheelchair Games medal winner, on Thursday at Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix.

John Tuzzolino did not become a terrific athlete until he could no longer walk.

He was an athletic young man when he joined the Army and completed his Ranger training, but he did not achieve greatness until after an automobile accident in 1991 while in the Army.

Now, Tuzzolino holds eight gold medals from the National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

He has forearms like Popeye and bench presses 330 pounds. In March, he will be on a box of Cheerios to recognize his accomplishments.

Tuzzolino, of Ahwatukee, was at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center on Thursday, speaking to vets about health and fitness as part of the MOVE! campaign, which encourages veterans to eat better and exercise more.

Tuzzolino, the sports director for the Arizona chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, is hoping people will start by walking, or rolling, 100 miles in the next 100 days.

"This is my chance to help veterans. There is a brotherhood for veterans," he said. "They have helped me, and now maybe I can help them."

Wheelchair vet is gold medal inspiration

John Tuzzolino admits his spinal cord injury was a tough weight to manage at first. "A few years after I got hurt, I got into weightlifting, and a lot of things I used to do," he said. With each workout, he lifted more weight and began to clean up at state and national competitions.

He was also lifting the spirits of those who happened to working out with him. Betsy Grey has been working out with Tuzzolino for 15 years. "He always inspires me everytime I see him working out. I figure I have to work harder."

But his real focus has been sharing his experience with fellow veterans. "I kind of like walked that road before, so I can talk to them and I know what they're gonna go through and how things are; and I can answer their questions," Tuzzolino said.

At an autograph session at the VA Medical Center in Phoenix, his gold medal inspiration continues to earn him praise. Meanwhile, our next bowl of cereal may be all it takes for John Tuzzolino to challenge us to get in shape. Next month he'll be one of 12 veterans to be featured as a Cheerios cereal champion.