A local legend is being remembered after he lost a battle with brain cancer.
"He did more in his lifetime than I could do in three or four lifetimes," Jeremiah Bridges said of his father Richard.
There isn't much Richard Bridges didn't accomplish in his 60 years. Bridges fittingly held the nickname "Rocky." He was the first player to score a touchdown at Bakersfield's West High School. Years later, as coach, he led the Wasco football team to a 10-0 season, winning coach of of the year honors.
He was known beyond California state lines, as an alternate boxer in the 1968 Olympics "Everything he did he gave 110%, whether it was academics, sports or family," Jeremiah Bridges said.
Bumps in the road only boosted Bridges to bigger and better things.
"He went to San Francisco State to become a teacher but at the time, in 1972, there were no teaching jobs," his son explained. "He had just married and needed to support his family, so he saw an ad in the paper for the Daly City Police Department and threw his hat in the ring."
Bridges was a police officer for 12 years and is only one of two officers in San Jose decorated with the Medal of Honor. Jeremiah Bridges explained the story behind the Medal of Honor.
"His partner was killed by a gunman so he attempted to take the gunman into custody while he was unarmed and a shooting occurred and he ended up fatally shooting the suspect that just murdered his partner. The city awarded him the highest honor that they had," recalled the proud son.
A TV producer even based two episodes of "Top Cops" on Bridges. In 1994, Bridges was diagnosed with liver cancer, but his eight children didn't find out until years later.
"He didn't miss a day of work, he didn't miss a coaching commitment, he didn't miss anything his children were in. Nothing," Bridges' son explained. "He didn't say a word."
Bridges won that battle with cancer but nearly 15 years later a brain tumor took his life.
"He never felt sorry for himself, he just said, 'Son, I don't think I'm going to win this fight,'" Jeremiah Bridges said. "But he was going to give it the best fight he could and he did."
Funeral services were scheduled for Thursday, September 3 at Basham Funeral Home at 3312 Niles Street.
