In 2007 we filmed a dramatization of my story of “Johnny the Bagger®” in Des Moines, Iowa. It was very special because it was filmed in my home state, and one of the scenes of me speaking to the grocery store staff was even filmed in the State Capitol Building of Iowa.
Photo of Garret and Barbara taken during the filming in 2007
Vision Point, the company that produced the movie, spent several hundred thousand dollars on the project and brought in actors from all over the country. One of the extra special blessings was that the young man who played Johnny was named Garrett, the name of my only living son, and this was his very first paying engagement!
Last Friday, I was asked to present to the Illinois chapter of the National Speakers Association in Oak Brook, IL. My contact person, Steve Beck, has worked a great deal with Special Olympics, and since my story involves a person with Down Syndrome, Steve contacted the state coordinator of the group to let her know I was going to be in town.
When she checked out my website, she viewed a picture of me and the young man who had played Johnny in the movie and thought he looked familiar. She finally realized that it was Garrett, who now is a speaker and ambassador for Special Olympics all over the county. She contacted his mother to tell them I was going to be in Chicago, and they all decided to come to hear me.
Seeing Garrett (“Johnny”) for the first time since 2007
You can imagine my delight and surprise when I saw Garrett and his mother in my audience! I had not seen them since the filming in 2007. At the very beginning of my presentation, I introduced him to the whole group and told the story of the filming and how PROUD I was of him, especially now that he had become a speaker himself. He just beamed!
We are each other’s heroes!
During lunch I showed the movie of “Johnny the Bagger®” to the group and afterwards I announced, “Here is the STAR of the show,” and asked Garrett to come up. The audience gave him a standing ovation. What really touched my heart the most was when he told me several times, “YOU are my hero.” In fact, HE IS MINE!
Over 5 million people have watched this movie, so Garrett and I have been blessed to help bring HOPE to people all over the world with the true story of “Johnny the Bagger®”. What a precious reunion it was!
To view this 16 minute true story, go to www.barbaraglanz.com/johnny and click on “Watch the Preview.”
