Coach Hery battles cancer

Former Fallbrook resident George Hery is battling cancer in Texas where he moved last year to be close to his son. Hery, the first World Champion in Trampoline, came to Southern California looking for a quiet, little community and remembered Fallbrook from when he had sold Dean and Debbie Capelotti some equipment at their Fallbrook Gymnastics Club.

He visited them and started coaching their students, becoming a fixture at the gym. According to Dean Capelotti, Hery ran the Trampoline & Tumbling and Boys Artistic competitive teams at Fallbrook Gymnastic Club for eight years until his retirement in 2019.

"George had a huge impact on the sport in Fallbrook coaching National champions in three different disciplines. George also helped to train a number of the coaches on the staff at Fallbrook Gymnastics. George loved coaching kids from Tiny Tots all the way up to the top level competitors," Capelotti said.

A GoFundMe account has been started on Hery's behalf. The fundraising post says, "When George went for treatment for what appeared to be a small skin cancer near his eye, diagnostics showed that the unseen part of the cancer was wrapped around his eye. The surgeon has been able to save George's eye. Now George needs a second surgery, skin grafts and follow up treatment."

Money is being raised to help Hery cover the costs "for a full recovery and to make sure that his eye heals and that he maintains his full sight, and to provide him comfort. We need to cover the costs of the treatment, including the initial surgery. The funds are needed immediately. Any additional funds raised after our funding cap will go to George for recovery, home care, and physical therapy."

An innovator in his sport, Hery not only invented the double mini-trampoline and the coil springboard for the vault, he also set a record doing 120 backflips in a row.

In a Village News article written about his 80th birthday in 2017, Hery said he has had great experiences, "but the greatest one of all is teaching children. Even if they're only 25% of the population, they're 100% of our future." His goal was to "teach them to have fun, be disciplined, learn."

In 2004, Hery was inducted into the Acrobatic Society Hall of Legends and, in 2016, he was given a Lifetime Achievement award by USA Gymnastics at the Olympic Trials in San Jose.

On Aug. 26, 2017, students and friends gathered at the gym to help Hery celebrate the "41st anniversary of his 39th birthday," and to watch him do a backflip on the trampoline.

The fundraiser organizer wrote, "Please send Coach George your good wishes and prayers! Other ways to support the legacy of his work is to support your local Special Olympics chapter, and to do something that brings smiles to the people around you. To get a sense of George, watch the videos we share here. If you know George, please leave a comment and let him know how he has inspired you!

"Your financial support of any amount is greatly appreciated and will make sure Coach George is able to keep doing what he loves: helping others."

To donate, visit https://gf.me/v/c/gs2/help-keep-coach-george-herys-sight.