Ray Cuevas:
CLASS OF 1973
Sterling High SchoolClass of 1973
Sterling, IL
Ray's Story
2014 Sept; Well after a wonderful trip to Philadelphia and a great National Wheelchair Games. I am proud to inform you that I was successful in my events with being a four year Gold medalist in Bowling, Javelin throw, and Disc throw. I was also successful in finally reaching my dream of getting Gold in the Shot-put. I decided this year I would give a shot at the 100 meter, well not bad a bronze for third place. With my spine unable to continue with my rigorous training regiment-this is going to be my final year competing. I will miss the competition and the friends I've made. This has been a portion of my life I could never have dreamed of taking place, let alone being able to compete at such a leave of competition. To help you understand this leave of competition is the first step in a journey to the World Paralympic Games.
Also on the journey I was able to meet up with some former classmates. It was great and we had a good time.
Thought I would add a up date. I will be in Sterling, August 4-9 on my way to the 2014 National Veteran Wheelchair games, being held in Philly. I am looking to defend my three gold medals and hopefully bring back the illusive shot-put gold I missed three years in a row by less than 1/4 of a meter. I will be making contact with a few classmates on my way. Lynn Vargas in Denver, John Blum and Kieth Stouffer in Sterling. Will post how I did.
Ray is from Sterling, Illinois. His schools include Sterling High School, various Military Electronic schools, training in High voltage wiring systems (substations and distribution systems), Journeyman Electrician . He retired a Master Electrician, with specialties in residential, commercial and industrial wiring, also a vast specialty in electronic control systems. From burglar and fire alarm systems to vast air handling quality and control systems. His awards range from Professionalism to Design and Modification of various Electrical and electronic systems throughout the USA.
Ray's interests include 49ers, LA Lakers, Stockyards Championship Rodeo. Music he likes includes Frankie Valli, Chicago,country and western. TV shows he likes include Burn Notice, NCIS, The Big Bang Theory to mention a few.
This is where I'll take over.
My life has been nothing but boring, as I feel so has my fellow colleagues. I had no idea how I handled, or how my high school years handled me, would later in life make sense and answer so many lingering questions.
It all started 25 days prior to start of my freshman year football practice, while playing baseball with some neighborhood friends, I slid into second spraining my ankle. It healed and of course I wanted to be that great football player. Third day of practice I was showing my ability to move the two man sled, with a fellow classmate and thank god for gophers, my foot went into a hole , there goes my ankle. Doctor tells me I was lucky and should giv...Expand for more
e up football. This same ankle along with some other problems which I was not aware of at this time, kept me from excelling in any sports. Even though I tried, I kept in the back ground (wrestling). I was also not developing as quickly as the other guys were. Lack of body hair (arms, chest and legs) Muscle tone, even though I was as strong as an ox, I didn't have the muscle definition others had. I did spend the majority of high school friends with the underdogs and confronting the bulls of our class.
Girls were another problem with being asked why I did not date nor have a girl friend. Well my Freshman year I did, she was an upper class-man, a Junior. Her mind was headed in a direction I had no intention of entering at the time. This is when I made a tough choice. My ambition was to become a US Marine and serve my country, in anyway she needed me. I thought I would not get stuck in this one horse town and felt the Marine Corps was my way out. So to keep me out of trouble, I chose my friends carefully and even though I was attracted to a number of the young ladies in or class, I fought to restrain myself. Felt lucky was not confronted with any proposals because I may have faulted, giving in.
During school I had no Idea how my love of math, would lead to my life occupation and love.
Upon entering the Marines , I was unaware that my aptitude testing had placed my intelligence level higher than most people figured. Instead of being sent to Vietnam (which is why I joined in the first place) I was sent to an Ellette electronic school. This is were I excelled and began my profession. This is also when I met my wife. she is from Monterrey, California
We meet on a beach and 30 days later we were married. She had 2 boys age 3 and 6, we found out years later that I was born sterile and was unable to father children. Would have been great to know when I was in high school. We are going on 38 years and have 6 grandchildren (2 girls and 4 boys). Proud to say when both boys reach the age of 18 they went to court and legal changed their name. They adopted me.
Was medically retired after an accident which left me with little use of left hand. A few years later started falling for no reason. Thought it was my knees but came to find out I was suffering from a degenerated back disease. Long story ending up with loss of use of both legs. spending rest of life in a wheelchair.
How did all this tie in with what happen in high school? Well since Doctors could not explain how I got this way, they decided on doing a genetic test. Found I had a rare syndrome, I was born with an extra X chromosome. This is known as Klinefelter Syndrome. If you read it you will read my life story and what I went though my adolescent life.
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