Today’s guest columnist is Ken Grodner.
In my business, I have the opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people, but none as special as Birmingham’s Italian Stallion, Lou Scripa.
Lou and his wife Rose were considering a condo complex, and I had the good fortune to show them the property.
After spending the morning with Rose and Lou, Rose says to me, “You know, Lou holds a number of World Records.”
I did not, and of course wanted to learn more.
I pulled out my phone and searched Lou Scripa, world records.
All the while, Lou hasn’t said a word, just looking down at me from his towering frame with his eyes smiling.
Shockingly, I learned that Lou earned the following Guinness World Records.
- 104,538 jumping jacks in 24 hours
- 41,788 leg raises in 12 hours
- 110,015 crunches in 17 hours
- 133,581 crunches in 30 hours
- 160,974 sit-ups in 82 hours
- 70,715 sit-ups in 24 hours or less
According to Franoi.com, these are fitness endurance feats accomplished by Air Force veteran Louis “Lou” Scripa Jr. between 1980 and 1992, and acknowledged by the Guinness World Records.
Lou is quoted, “I was fortunate I had a lot of endurance. I could go for a long time.
“The main thing was concentrating on not getting cramps. People would throw ice in my mouth to keep me hydrated.”
According to Scripa, his goal was “not so much the recognition as raising money for charity and good causes.”
Scripa inducted into National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
Rose shared with me that Lou had been nominated for induction into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame and subsequently shared a copy of the nomination with me.
According to Franoi.com, Scripa, “joined the ranks of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame (NIASHF) last year, but was unable to attend the induction ceremony. Instead, NIASHF President Ron Onesti flew to Alabama to induct him in person, capturing the moment on videotape and airing it at the December gala.”
War hero
In reading Lou’s nomination, I learned that Lou is the recipient of numerous medals for Military Service, Courage, Bravery and Gallantry. Among them, Silver Star, Bronze Star with “V” for Valor, Airman’s Medal for Heroism, and the Purple Heart for wounds suffered during the Vietnam War, where he served as a paramedic for the US Air Force.
Lou is also accomplished in Martial Arts, holding black belts in Judo, Jiu Jitsu, and Karate. During his military career, he taught Combative Measures to troops, both domestic and foreign.
Raised millions of dollars in support of charities
Lou has been responsible for raising millions of dollars in support of charities such as the Special Olympics, Diabetes Society, Make-A-Wish-Foundation, Women Escaping a Violent Environment (WEAVE), American Indian Relief Council and countless other causes.
After completing a 23– year career in the military, Lou he went on to complete a second career of 24-years with the Aerojet Liquid and Solid Rocket Company in Sacramento California.
Now 89, Scripa, who has been battling Parkinson’s disease, leads a quiet life with his wife, Rose, in their home in Vestavia Hills and loves living here!
Just one more reason to be proud of our Magic City!
Ken Grodner is the co-owner of Hospitality Network Group at Keller Williams. He grew up in Mountain Brook and graduated Magna Cum Laud with a BS Degree in Accounting from the University of Alabama. After working in finance for many years around the country, he returned home to Birmingham with his wife, Vikki, to become a realtor.
David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).
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Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown.com
Ken, thanks for sharing the story of Lou!
The Scripa family are all GEMS for this community.! Lou and Rose represent the Italian community in so many ways!
Ken:
Many thanks for sharing this proud story and
congratulations to Lou for all he has done!
Another hero in our midst!
Remarkable people like these are the ones who make the city better. Thanks for sharing
My spouse was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. His symptoms included excruciating calf pain, muscular aches, tremors, slurred speech, frequent falls, loss of balance, and trouble standing up from a seated posture. After six months on Senemet, Siferol was given to him in place of the Senemet. It was also at this period that he was diagnosed with dementia. He began seeing hallucinations and became detached from reality. With the doctor’s approval, we stopped giving him Siferol and chose to try the Ability Health Center PD-5 protocol, which we had previously investigated. After three months of therapy, he has made significant progress. The illness has been completely contained. There are no symptoms of persistent twitching, weakness, tremors, hallucinations, or muscle soreness. The PD-5 Protocol was obtained from ability healthcentre. com. Though you still need to determine what works best for you, I thought I would share my husband’s story in case it could be helpful. Greetings and prayers
Oh wow how thoughtful of you to do this!
I have several very good friends of mine that have Parkinson’s Disease. You and your spouse are GEMs for this very educational piece of information.