Page 4 - Fall Access 2016

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The “New” Senio
You can do anything you put your mind to.
Marika Vorosmarty-Blumerick – Age 72 Macomb County resident
Michigan Senior Olympics Hall of Famer
Spend a little time with this Shelby Township resident and you’ll realize the meaning of motivation. Whenever Marika pours her heart into something, whether that’s motherhood, work or sports, her drive and determination make even the impossible, possible. This mother of three and grandmother of four earned 100 medals in sporting events by the time she was age 65 and now she’s aiming to push that figure to 200. “It’s important that I set goals to keep myself motivated,” she said and added that her mother was the force behind her determination. Marika explained, “She would always say that I could do it, and I found that I could.”
Born in 1944 in Hungary during WWII, Marika’s father was chief economic advisor for the country’s Prime Minister and was honored as a hero against the Russian front. When Germany threatened to take over, Marika’s father refused to cooperate with both the German military and the Russian Army. The family narrowly escaped capture onboard a ferry when
a bomb exploded. Her parents and siblings were unharmed, but 11-month-old Marika was left shell-shocked and deaf.
Electroshock treatment cured the shell shock, but Marika’s hearing loss remained. The International Refugee Organization and a church relocation service helped the family make their way to Michigan, where Marika attended the Michigan School for the Deaf in Flint. With access to critical education, Marika said, “The value of this experience shaped my life. I never let deafness define who I was or what I could do.”
Involvement in sports became a great outlet for her as she took up fencing, karate and javelin. This marked the beginning of Marika’s medal collection that continued through her school years, then there was a long pause when she married, had three children and began a successful career as the first certified deaf substance abuse counselor in Michigan. She also served as a gubernatorial appointee to both the Michigan Board of Mental Health and the Division on Deafness. To this day, Marika remains a strong advocate for the deaf community, as both a teacher and mentor.
Once her children were grown and on their own, Marika returned to athletic competition. In 1997, she won her first medal as a senior athlete in the Michigan Senior Olympic (MSO) games, participating in track and field events. This success led to competition at the national level. She confessed, “My husband and children keep telling me to go for it. How strange it is to see my children sign that they are proud of me, supporting me through all my struggles and challenges. My inner soul is smiling!”
Last year Marika was inducted into the MSO Hall of Fame. “It feels awesome to be respected in this way,” she said and added that she is the first deaf person to hold this honor in Michigan. “My parents always told me that I could do anything, so I immediately called my mom to let her know about this great thing that had happened.”
“The value of this experience shaped my life. I never let deafness define who I was or what I could do.”
In the last issue of ACCESS we profiled three seniors who are breaking stereotypes and living their lives to the fullest. In order to tell their stories in depth, we could only profile three people. We promised you more inspiring stories, so here are three additional profiles of older adults pursuing personal goals, continuing to give back, and challenging themselves to do more.
Marika Vorosmarty-Blumerick, athlete and MSO Hall of Famer.