Gone but not forgotten

     John Bruner always finished strong. GCSU students, athletes and faculty were shocked when they heard Bruner didn’t finish his last race.
     A GCSU student-athlete, Bruner’s promising cross-country career ended tragically Aug. 4, 2007. Doctors reported that an undiagnosed abnormal coronary artery caused the heart attack that killed Bruner, who collapsed during a 4.7 mile charity race held in Chattanooga, Tenn.
     A strong teammate
     During Bruner’s senior year at Dalton high school, he was captain of the cross-country team. Bruner enrolled as a freshman during the Fall of 2006 and, upon arriving, determined himself to excel as a new student and a new member of the men’s cross-country team. He succeeded in both, being a regular starter for the team and took 20th place at the Peach Belt Conference Championship in October.
     Affectionately known by his teammates as “lil’ John,” the 5-foot-7-inch Bruner welcomed the challenge of NCAA competition. Well liked and respected by coach Joe Samprone for his attitude and work ethic, Bruner kept everyone running hard.
     “You want your runner to be solid enough to push the top five guys,” said Samprone. “As a freshman, that’s pretty good.”
Bruner went into every race with the intention to push his teammates the best way he could by running strong.
     “He was a good kid and had a winning personality,” said Samprone. “No one knows why these things happen, we’re just glad to have been able to spend a year with him.”
Teammate Alex Pate, like his fellow runners, still feels that something—or someone is strongly missing from practice.
     “He always ran hard and if I slowed down, he sped up and kept me going,” Pate said. 
     A strong friend
     Bruner could be easily spotted coming in the distance—his bright red Mustang convertible was hard to miss.
     Bonnie Ueltzen first met John during Week of Welcome last fall. Like Bruner, she was a freshman resident of Adams Hall and a member of the women’s cross country team. Ueltzen would often hold the privilege of riding shotgun in Bruner’s Mustang to practice.
     Ueltzen, and several other close friends, were planning on spending another year with Bruner, all living on the same floor in Napier Hall.
     “He was open to anybody, he wasn’t always around one clique of people,” said Ueltzen. “John was so accepting, and I admired that.”
     A strong legacy
     “Looking at his parents in the eye was the hardest part—-you couldn’t say anything except, ‘I love John,’” Pate said.
     The men’s cross country team served as honorary pallbearers during Bruner’s funeral.
     Hundreds gathered in Dalton, Ga. for Bruner’s viewing. Samprone waited nearly an hour to get inside and say good-bye to his runner—and friend.
     Pate and his teammates know they will honor their friend this season. At the viewing, Bruner’s father told Pate to ‘be strong’ and that ‘John was going to be running with them this year.’
     They hope to run strong, and follow the example set by their fallen teammate.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Aug 31 2007. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry