SWIMMING WITH MY COUSIN, THE PRESIDENT

I have a couple of relatives who spent ‘a fair bit of time’ in the Manchester-Warm Springs area of Georgia.

My GG Uncle “Gen.” Henry Dowling once lived in Manchester, and he was, ultimately, brought back for interment in the Manchester Cemetery. “Old Henry,” as I am prone to call him, was one of the last surviving Confederate veterans of the Civil War, one of the final National Commanders of the United Confederate Veterans organization, and the last resident of the Confederate Soldiers Home in Atlanta. 

The other relative to whom I refer was my 6^th cousin, and as well-known as Elvis or George Washington.

…Pres. Franklin Roosevelt

My wife and I once visited Warm Springs and toured Roosevelt’s “Little White House.” While we were in the area, we also toured the Pools Museum and Treatment Pools. I regret to say that at the time I was altogether unaware of my relationship to FDR; since I think my visit would have been that much more meaningful to me.(Funny, I possess a dark, pigmented spot woven into my left eyebrow; just as he did).

I was watching Ken Burns, “The Roosevelts” series today, and a segment relating to Franklin Roosevelt’s involvement at Warm Springs was featured. Of course, FDR struggled with the after effects of Polio, and was forced to wear heavy braces on his legs in order to walk; (with significant assistance, I might say). It seems he was so impressed with the therapeutic benefits of swimming and physical therapy in the pools at Warm Springs that he purchased the springs and surrounding property. 

I have never reflected on Franklin Roosevelt or my kinship to him with any particular emotion

…until today.

FDR enjoyed his time in Warm Springs, and not only took advantage of the healing waters, but on his visits there, served as a sort of camp counselor to children from across the nation who had contracted Polio, and who, like himself, sought relief from the impact of that paralytic malady.

Burns makes us aware that Roosevelt was a terrific encourager, and shed any self-consciousness about his withered limbs, as he frolicked with the children in the treatment pools. Throughout the video, there are film clips of Roosevelt smiling and easily interacting with the 8, 10 and 12 year olds who surrounded him. “Suzie,” an elderly woman now, and former summer resident of Warm Springs, shares a story about a set of therapy stairs which she detested, and did her best to avoid. Roosevelt, who asked the children to refer to him as, “Rosie,” challenged Suzie to give it her best shot. And she was determined not to let him down. A former ‘Push Boy,’ who helped dressed the patients, and pushed them everywhere they went, laughs about the time the president manhandled him, and managed to drag him underwater.

I can tell you I was mesmerized, and was surprised to feel tears spring to my eyes.  No doubt, I had at some time seen footage of Roosevelt in the pools at Warm Springs. But for whatever reason, this time was different. It occurred to me that my distant cousin, and President of the United States, for all his faults, embraced the role of a mentor, and performed his role well.

I am a mentor, and if you are to believe my former clients, students and interns, a pretty good one. I have often shared a practical reminiscence with those with whom I have to do.

“I have counseled thousands. I have taught hundreds. I have mentored dozens.”

At the present time I am mentoring five individuals in the context of a year-long discipleship program which I developed. And thus, is it any wonder how impressed and ‘taken up’ I was as I viewed FDR and the little children? I can tell you, as I watched the video, my kinship with FDR metamorphosed from a relational one into one more abiding; an emotional one.

I will never think of my cousin quite the same way again.


By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 40. Copyright pending

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