65-year-old Greendale man bleeds green and gold



GREENDALE -- Many Green Bay Packers fans count on the team to take their minds off the challenges of life. One Greendale man has more than his share of difficulties, but his faith, his football team and his positive attitude help him persevere.

65-year-old Ron Swanstrom bleeds green and gold. One look at his apartment in Greendale speaks to the passion he has for the Green Bay Packers. Over the years, he's filled 25 scrapbooks full of their glory on the gridiron.

It's no surprise then, that if you want the lowdown on the Packers draft, it's all in Swanstrom's notes.

Swanstrom's love affair with the team spans over a decade, to the day Vince Lombardi turned an NFL laughingstock into a proud championship franchise again.

Swanstrom calls Lombardi's 1962 Packers the best in team history, but he loved the 1996 champs, and when Aaron Rodgers led the 2010 squad to win Super Bowl 45, and brought the Lombardi trophy back to Titletown.

High praise from a man who is always positive, regardless of the challenges he's faced in life. Swanstrom lives alone, is on disability and has battled epilepsy for many years. Now, he deals with Parkinson's Disease and has trouble walking, but every step he takes is guided by his positive outlook, and he remains grounded in his faith.

If he thought about it, Swanstrom might realize that he inspires people, but he's too busy focusing on his Green Bay Packers.