In a touching and heartfelt tribute to the man known as “the Legend,” bodybuilding bade farewell to Reginald Park at a memorial service hosted by Governor Schwarzenegger and First Lady Shriver on December 16th, 2007 at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California.
The two-hour event featured poignant and uplifting speeches by members of Reg’s family and friends, culminating with remembrances by Franco Columbu, Governor Schwarzenegger and Jon Jon Park, Reg’s son.
The affair was attended by a host of bodybuilding notables, including Dave Draper, Lou Ferrigno, Boyer Coe, Samir Bannout, Rolf Moeller, Brad Harris, Seymour Koenig, Dean Tornabene, Mike Uretz, George Coates, Peter McGough, John Balik, Jerry Brainum and Lonnie Teper, to name a few.
While a sense of loss was felt by everyone attending the memorial, the overriding message of the evening was one of healthy optimism, as illustrated by Reg’s personal mantras, listed in the service’s program:
Be positive Eat correctly Breathe fresh air deeply Rest well Exercise routinely Have healthy relationships Live every moment to the fullest
We would like to ask all of our readers to heed Reg Park’s words and make them your own. Not only will you be honoring the memory of The Legend, but insuring yourself the kind of blessed life Reg enjoyed for 79 years.
FLEX magazine and all of Weider/AMI would like to send the Park family our deepest sympathies and salute the spirit of the great Reg Park.
