I began life in the small town of Olympia, Washington, in the 1950s. Times were cool---people drove big-finned cars, rock and roll was brand new, and the economy was booming. What we didn't have was a polio vaccine, and the nation was enduring a polio epidemic.

I contracted polio at the age of three months. The severe sickness finally ended, but the life-altering effects remained. To this day, I wear a full leg brace and have a weakened left side.

Because I had two parents and two brothers who treated me like every other kid in our neighborhood, my life was pretty normal. I had Cub Scouts, Little League, and sandlot baseball-the works.

My junior high school years started with a life-changing situation. No, not girls---yet! In late September, when football practice started, I was on the field with the new recruits. The coach, a long-time friend of my father's, said, "John, what the heck are you doing here? You can't play football, one hit, and your brace would bend like a pretzel!"

That was the first, and the last, time I would ever feel sorry for myself. I moped around for a few days, and then I realized that even though I wore a leg brace, I could be an athlete! My uncle, a paraplegic, had formed a wheelchair basketball team in Tacoma, Washington. After much discussion, begging, and pleading, he finally let me join. The Tacoma Wheelers wheelchair basketball team were young men, aged 25 to 35. They soon accepted me, and I became their "little brother."  In 1969, I went to New York for the Paralympics trials. I earned two silver medals in swimming events, and I participated in track and field. I failed to make the U.S. Paralympic team, but it was a great honor and a fantastic experience to try out. My wheelchair athletics would continue until a shoulder injury sidelined me in my late 40's.

I headed off to community college with not a clue of what I wanted to do in life. Should I be a teacher or an attorney? Instead, two friends convinced me to come and live with them in Tacoma, where they gave me a tour of their school-the Bates Vocational School. There I was introduced to radio and television. I thought, This is what I am going to do for a career!

Ok Ok I'm a late bloomer, finally, girls.  I fell in love with my best friend's sister, we were married in 1974.  By then I was on my way to a pretty nice career in radio.  I was doing the evening show on one of the northwest's highest rated radio stations, KTAC in Tacoma, Washington.  In 1977 I joined the KING Broadcasting Company, which meant a move to Spokane, Washington, where I hosted the afternoon show on 97KREM.  One evening our phone rang and on the other end was legendary radio programmer Mike Phillips.  Mike asked me if I would come to Portland, Oregon to do the early evening show on 62KGW?  62KGW, just about the most successful radio station in America wanted me? I could hardly contain my excitement, but asked him if he would give me some time to think it over, he replied sure.  So I thought long and hard for the next 3 seconds and blurted out YES!

I've been on Portland radio and television stations ever since. I have had the great fortune to be on several of Portland's top stations over the past 32 years and today continue to be one of Portland's leading voice talents on radio and television.

My wife, Marla, and I are enjoying our 35th year together. With our children and grandchildren, we are a very active family. Our activities include travel.

When we visit tourist sites, I use a wheelchair to get around. In my travels, I almost always run into accessibility obstacles. It occurs to me that you may be experiencing the same obstacles and would like to "know before you go" that your destination is wheelchair accessible. I hope my efforts with Wheelchair Destinations will help you visit all the places you want to see in this great country.

Smooth travels,

John Williams