Pictured L-R: Dustin O’Hara outside of GHS & O’Hara with his parents & friends.
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
Dustin O’Hara stepped onto Glendora High School soil one last time on Sunday evening.
The GHS Superfan is moving this week with his family some 2,371 miles away to Hickory, North Carolina.
Thankfully, O’Hara and his parents (Robin and John) met us on campus for a brief video interview to say goodbye and reflect on some special moments.
The pinnacle for the 2008 GHS grad was an August 30th experience just over a year ago.
O’Hara was asked by Glendora officials to come down to the football field at Citrus College, and he was both thrilled and surprised to be given a Glendora High letterman jacket.
For those who haven’t heard of Dustin O’Hara, he came from a family of athletes, including brothers JP and Ryan, who played both high school and college sports.
Dustin couldn’t follow in his brother’s footsteps because of a number of medical issues.
In fact, the 31-year has survived seven near-death episodes.
But this is one tough dude and he possesses a giant heart.
Since accepting the fact that he could never play sports at the school he loves, he did the next best thing as he put it, and took in as many Tartans’ games in person as he could.
And when getting a ride was impossible, O’Hara would track all the GHS athletics events on social media.
So, back to that August 30th night of 2019 for a second.
Glendora would throttle visiting Eleanor Roosevelt High of Eastvale, 34-7, and as mentioned, he was handed a beautiful GHS letterman jacket in front of an adoring crowd.
Now, fast forward to tonight, September 27, 2020, and O’Hara got one final surprise.
Glendora High parent and artist, Al Salgado, personally delivered an amazing portrait of Dustin from that night and we caught it on video.
O’Hara is without question sad to leave, but he promised to do his best to stay up till midnight east-coast time to keep his daily tracking of Glendora High School sports.
On behalf of all Tartans, past and present: thank you, Dustin. You are loved and you will be missed.
Below are video links with a description:
** A special thanks to Al Salgado for his time and passion in his portrait of Dustin O’Hara, as well as all those who sent videos wishing the O’Hara’s well.
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