Buddy clears the bar...

Back in 1965, his friends called him Buddy.

Most of his fellow students at Frank M. Black, a middle school on the outskirts of Houston, Texas, knew the young man was destined for greatness. Bubba Sparks, a five-time All American pole vaulter and a three-time national champion who starred at Southwest Texas State in the 1970's, commented recently on his blog that Buddy was one of those kids in school that makes you stand up and take notice.

"I began vaulting at the age of 12 with the stud of our junior high school team. He was much more developed than us, and he pointed his toes going over the bar. He was our hero! I mean this guy could vault like we could only dream...and looked great doing it.

"I remember that he had a bit of a temper when things didn't go exactly as he hoped. At first I was mystified but then I realized that was why he was truly better than we were. I tried to be like Buddy and promised that no matter what, I would never give up and that I would not accept failure as a permanent destination."

Sparks took what he saw in Buddy and applied it to his own life. Now at the age of 56, Sparks is still vaulting and will be representing the USA at the Sydney 2009 World Masters Games next month. As for Buddy, he passed away yesterday at the age of 57.

People all over the world know him not as Buddy, but as the famous actor, dancer and songwriter Patrick Wayne Swayze.