(Dad’s Senior Yearbook Picture 1967)

DANBURY HIGH SCHOOL – HALL OF FAME

I would first like to thank the hall of fame committee and those who helped prepare for tonight.  I consider it a privilege just to be named with the other recipient’s here tonight.

Everyone has pivotal turning points in life that stand out in their mind.  Last summer, when I  first heard about my name being mentioned for the Hall of Fame, I was reminded of a turning point in my life that occurred while I was a student at Danbury High.   Many times people forget events from so many years ago, but this was one memory I couldn’t let slip away, because what I learned on this night all those years ago still holds true today.

During half time of a Danbury High football game, a change in character happened within me that still affects me to this day.  During the course of this particular game, my first half performance would prove that I had not been totally focused on the game and I was just going through the motions.  In reality I was just doing the right things enough so that I wouldn’t get yelled at by the coach (you all know who that was Danbury Hall of Fame coach Gus Edwards) However, I knew that I wasn’t fully giving it my all, so at half time I said to myself “Either you play this game with your whole heart, or you get out of the game now, and never come back to it again.  You are going to get hurt playing like this and you are not being honest with yourself by not giving your all.”  While this might seem like something I said just to get motivated, for me I really did not like what I saw in myself.  I saw a hypocrite, and I’ve never forgotten what I saw since that day. I was able to play and give it my all in the second half of the game, and although we ended up losing that day, I know I walked away a winner in a more important way.  It is that decision that I made that day which has returned to my mind many times over the years, through all the different issues and circumstances I have faced in my life.

In the years since, my wife and my son have kept me on this path of being up front and honest with myself.  They, along with many others from all the way back to my High School years, have been an encouragement to developing more of this character in me. My family and friends have helped me continue on the same course against every obstacle and opponent with what I now call ‘WINNING CHARACTER’.  Knowing some of the life stories of others, and how they overcame adversity in their own lives has encouraged me, so that I couldn’t ever let myself feel sorry for myself, because I realized I was not alone.  This is what I am most thankful for tonight!

It is through my faith in God and these faithful examples of people he has given to me that I can make no excuse in anything that I face in life.  You don’t ignore the things you face in life, but rather you choose to keep moving forward!  ‘Winning Character’ does not make an individual flawless, ‘Winning Character’ just keeps you moving upward in life.

I share all of this because I’ve found that when a person discovers the ‘Winning Character’ within them and allows it to be expressed, they are truly victorious over all circumstances.  I believe this trait is in everyone. though many times it is lying dormant.  However, when given place in a person’s life, it becomes more than just having a positive mental attitude about something, or about breaking some physical record.  It is a force within a person that clearly views a challenging or negative situation, yet knows there is a way through to overcome it.

Webster’s dictionary defines the word Character as – 1. an engraving instrument to engrave a distinctive mark or attribute 2. essential quality; nature

The word Winning is defined as one 1 that wins; victorious 1 the action of a person that wins

When you combine these meanings you have a victorious person who engraves his mark in the world!

My prayer and desire is for everyone to find the winning character that is within them, so they can now see the glass half full of water with a clear view of the situation.  This attitude will bring them through to overcome any issues that face them!

We all experience setbacks at times, but that does not have to knock us off the course we are on.  It is good to be here tonight and see so many people who are not knocked off course.  I am also so glad that some of the people who were playing a part in my life back then are still doing the same forty years later.

The honor and recognition of this award tonight more than anything represents the people who have continued for the long run regardless of the situation.  I know I speak for all the inductees tonight when I say humbly, thank you to all who have helped make this night happen for us.

DAVE WILDA

 

Ten years ago this week, I had the honor to get up and deliver my dad’s speech for his induction into his high school athletics Hall of Fame.  It was the second time I had that honor, the first coming 10 years earlier for his induction into the Southern Connecticut State University athletics Hall of Fame.  On both occasions this honor fell to me as my dad was not physically strong enough to speak clearly, as MS had robbed this ability from him by these years of his life.  My dad never missed an opportunity to try to encourage people, so of course he used a personal recognition for this purpose as well.  After reading his words I shared a brief sentiment of my own, telling dad what I and the crowd of people who had known him for so many years knew well, ‘dad more importantly than this hall of fame, you are a hall of famer in life, I love you.’  The greatest thing I can say about David Wilda, and what I am most thankful for each day, is the absolute fact that my dad was the same person every day at home that he was in public: joyful, encouraging, loving, and a man of genuine faith in Jesus Christ.  He lived what he believed, and he walked the walk that he encouraged others to walk, though he couldn’t physically walk for over 20 years of his life.  Hall of fames are created to recognize great accomplishments and great people, I have peace knowing you, dad, are in a far greater hall of champions in heaven; those who overcame in life by faith, just like you encouraged us to do 10 years ago on what was supposed to be ‘your night’.  Thank you for teaching me “Winning Character” dad, I’ll keep encouraging people as best I can the way that you did… I love you, see you later!! – Nathan