I recently had the pleasure of meeting Dr. J. Fred Pounds, a remarkable man whose life obstacles are overcome by persistence, determination, and drive.
Doctor Fred Pounds is a 5th generation Irish-American, who’s Great, Great Grandfather emigrated from County Cork, Ireland during the early 1800’s. As a boy, Fred spent many hours listening to his great grandmother tell stories about their plantation, the slaves, and her experience during the Civil War.
During World War II, he was drafted after high school and soon after landed at Normandy as a Buck Private. He rapidly received battlefield promotions to Sergeant, then Lieutenant, then to Captain because the leaders above him kept dying on the battlefield. He was only one of five men from his original company who survived the face of battle.
He was wounded by a German Hand Grenade at the Battle of the Bulge, hospitalized for two days, and then sent back to the front personally by General George Patton. His mother and wife received a telegram from the War Department that he was missing in action. He was actually captured by the Germans and taken 130 miles behind enemy lines to a Prisoner of War camp. He escaped 28 days later and it took him eight days to make it back to his unit. He slept during the day and walked all night.
He is a witness to the Nazi death camps after his company liberated the surviving souls at the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. After the war, he was a successful chicken farmer and cattle farmer. He was president of several companies. He is successful attorney with a Doctorate in Jurisprudence.
In 1980, he ran for the Georgia House of Representatives. In 1980, he was also in the Guinness Book of World records for the single living person with the most strokes, and heart by-pass surgeries. He lives with a pacemaker (you would never know it). In 1990, he had cancer, received chemotherapy, and is now in remission. He is a published author on World War II and plans to publish another book soon.
His most memorable experience: “When I returned home from the war and called my mother and my wife, who had given me up for dead”.
What he is most proud of: “Our great country. We have our problems, but I’m still proud of and love our country”.
His heroes: “General Patton, old blood and guts.”
What keeps him going? “It’s the stubborn Irishman in me”.
What do you want out of your life now? “I want to help my fellow man”. Since I was a boy, I have always loved people and I believe that 98% of all people are good, it is the circumstances that make them change. In life, there are very few rosy times, but you have to persevere through the tough times. Get through and overcome the adversity, the hardships, and setbacks”.
What is it that makes Fred Pounds different?
He has an unquenchable thirst to learn himself and his God-given talents. Any obstacles or seemingly adverse situation or conditions do not deter him.
He believes that most things worth doing involve challenges, risk, adversity, and delays. He demonstrates that persistence and tenacity go along with organization to hurdle setbacks and difficulties, which inevitably creep into everyone’s life at consistent times.
His life is full of key compelling moments that he has chosen to learn from and to grow into the person he’s become. He is a man of varied experiences and extraordinary perspective. He sees what many do not, even those with the same experiences. Fred is a historical figure not so much because of what he’s done but because of the person he is.
Fred’s life has been about growing and using adversity as an opportunity to become more. As we become more, we create the conditions and the preparation for life’s next challenge or experience and therefore your next achievement. As a reward for the tenacious, a break usually comes just at the point of hopelessness. Many people give up before reaching that point, but there are those like Fred pounds who keep going and never, ever give up.
People such as Dr. Fred Pounds have an uncanny ability to overcome adversity, to keep going and to keep growing. They won’t be deterred and have a stubborn sense of conviction about life and its purpose.
