PrimeTime: Bill Johnson's Comeback
May 10 -- It was supposed to be a daring comeback by a former champion, an audacious bid by a 40-year-old man to win big at a young man's sport.
When Bill Johnson last raced at the U.S. Alpine Ski Championships at Big Mountain, Mont. on March 22, he needed a spectacular run to keep alive his hopes of winning a spot on the 2002 U.S. Olympic Ski Team.
But as he shot down the slope at nearly 60 mph, he caught an edge, slammed into the icy snow and crashed through two sets of safety netting. When emergency workers reached him, he'd sustained severe head trauma and was choking on his own blood.
He had already lost his home, job and family. Suddenly it looked like he might lose his life as well.
Winning Fame and Love
At the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Johnson was a cocky young American who improbably predicted he'd take home the gold medal.
"He was considered very brash to come onto the circuit and predict victories for himself," says Bob Beattie, U.S. skiing coach and TV commentator. "Here's a hotshot American that comes wandering in and had a lot of nerve."
But Johnson backed up his bravado and shocked the world when he became the first American to win gold in Olympic skiing. Magazine covers, endorsement deals, TV shows, and a movie of his life followed his victory.
And so did love. In 1985, he swept Gina Ricci off her feet. Within a year, they were married and on the road traveling the World Cup ski circuit.
Life Goes Downhill
But Johnson could not regain his champion form in the years that followed.
Four years later, he was off the Olympic team; three years after that, he was out of World Cup skiing altogether.
Adding to his professional disappointments, his personal life turned tragic. Bill and Gina lost their first son, 13-month-old Ryan, when he drowned in the family hot tub. The couple had two more children.
Johnson — who had grown accustomed to speed — did not like the slower pace of everyday life.
Related Stories
ABC News Live