Raymond Lutzke was simply the most inspirational man I have
ever known. Ray was born mentally handicapped
and grew up down the street from my childhood home in a neighborhood full of
kids just outside of Toledo, Ohio. He was
much larger than all the other kids and his mere size could be
intimidating. Our neighborhood had a
small community swimming pool that was the spot where we all hung out all
summer long. It was the perfect place
for kids to burn off their excess energy while teenagers flirted with their
latest crush and parents could relax and gossip with the neighbors. We all loved the pool, including Ray. I am sure that’s where we met.
