A year ago, Harry Deslegte was relearning how to sit up in bed.
Today, at 82, he’s reflecting on the fact that he was recently competing in the Schlegel Olympics — not just participating in a token Olympic-themed day, but pushing himself on a Nu-Step machine hard enough to be disappointed when he didn’t win.
“When I got on that bike and I saw that my left foot was off… I lost concentration, and that’s what beat me,” Harry says, still replaying the moment from the 2026 Schlegel Olympics in February. “When my foot slipped, I cursed myself because I knew I lost it right there. But it’s my own stupid fault, really.”
It’s a striking reflection — not because of the missed opportunity, but because of what it represents. For Harry, this isn’t about simply taking part. It’s about effort, focus, and the quiet expectation he places on himself to do better.
That mindset has carried him a long way.
Not long ago, following two strokes — one of them quite severe — Harry was completely bedridden. He couldn’t sit up, stand, or move without assistance. The idea of competing in anything, let alone an event as challenging as this, would have seemed impossible.
“No, no,” he says plainly, when asked if he ever imagined something like this during his time in hospital and early recovery.
But progress didn’t come by chance.
“Since I had this stroke, it’s paramount that I continue to work out,” Harry explains. “I do my exercises up here in the room… then I go downstairs and do the weight exercises. I did that this morning too. And if I have a chance — well, I should have a chance — I’ll be on the bike this afternoon.”
It’s not occasional effort. It’s daily discipline.
Even a short, forced break due to a seasonal illness, reinforces the point. “I was out of commission here for two weeks,” he explains, “and you notice the difference.”
His consistency has transformed not only his physical strength, but his confidence — something that was on full display during the Olympics, where fellow residents and team members cheered him on.
“When they saw the speed at which I was going… a lot of people came to me and said, ‘man, you’re unreal.’”
For Harry, the event represented something bigger than competition. It challenged the assumptions people often make about aging.
“Someone in their 80s or 90s can still compete… and still care,” he says. “That was the whole program — to get older folks into that sort of thing.”
It’s a message he’s living out in real time.
And while he’s quick to take responsibility for his performance, Harry remains just as quick to recognize the support around him.
“I can’t take anything away… if it wasn’t for them, I might not be where I am today,” he says of the team at the Village.
Still, the drive comes from within – a sense of determination that has defined much of his life – and it seems to have taken on a new dimension since he moved into long-term care at The Village of Winston Park.
It's something he’s grateful for every day, and something he never expected he’d find in a long-term care setting.
Click here to read an earlier story about Harry's remarkable transformation upon moving into long-term care.
