When Lonnie Smith and childhood friend Howard Glenn were tossing a baseball around the little league diamond, they couldn’t have imagined they would someday be in Colorado “Going for Gold.”

Fast-forward nearly 30 years and that’s exactly where they were — for Smith to participate in the 2010 National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

Not only did he compete, Lonnie won.

He was signed up for five events — shot put, discus, javelin, air gun competition and a 9-ball pool tournament. Smith won gold medals in javelin, shot put and discus and a silver in the pool tournament.

For those who are not familiar with “The Games,” they are designed to help transition disabled veterans back into a productive life through competition. Each year the games are held in a different city. This year’s host was Veterans Association Eastern Colorado Healthcare System and the Mountain State Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America in Denver.

Smith heard about the games while recovering from an incident that had left him paralyzed.

Smith served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Marshall in flight deck maintenance.

“I wanted to see the world” Smith said.

He completed two tours of duty in Iraq before moving to Mississippi where — during post-Hurricane Katrina chaos — he was shot, and as a result was honorably discharged from the Navy. Smith was admitted into a hospital where he spent more than a year losing strength, weight and hope.

He had begun falling into depression before he learned of the wheelchair games and became involved with the PVA — Paralyzed Veterans of America.

With the realization he could still be an athlete came the motivation to, as Smith puts it, “Just go for it.”

The road to recovery was not easy.

A high school Upper State wrestling champ in the 165 lbs weight class and a varsity football starter since 10th grade at defensive end, Lonnie Smith was up for the challenge.

Enter Howard Glenn, Smith’s longtime friend.

“I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know this guy.” Smith said. “We grew up playing sports together. He’s the type that says ‘let’s do it.’ So when I told him about the opportunity to go to Denver for me to compete, he dropped everything.”

Smith and Glenn who affectionately refer to themselves as ‘Ray and Claude’ — from the Eddie Murphy comedy “Life” — were Denver bound.

“ I didn’t know what to expect.” Glenn said. “The altitude there made it hard to breathe and drained us.”

This presented a problem for Smith, who upon arrival, was put in Medical for seven to eight hours. But as he said, “Things settled in and by the next morning I was ready for the pool tournament.”

Smith was entered as a novice where he competed against other first-time participants and also athletes with similar disabilities. Following the pool tournament it was time for the field events where Smith says he felt he did well.

He later found out exactly how well when he received gold in all three of his events.

Glenn’s eyes lit up as he talked about Smith’s victories.

“I just felt honored to be a part of it,” Smith’s friend said. “I was there to support him and it felt great. We had a great time in Colorodo."

The trip to Denver was funded completely by the federal government and Smith recieved a letter from President Barack Obama himself wishing all the veterans luck and sending his thanks for their dedication to the country.

Smith and Glenn couldn’t say enough about the wheelchair-bound veterans and their determination.

“We take so much for granted,” Glenn said. “I have so much respect for these guys and what they do.”

A person would think Glenn is Smith’s biggest fan.

Until they meet his mom, Anne Stepp.

Smith’s dad is also in a wheelchair and he said she took care of them both until recently when he moved into his own apartment, which he wasn’t expected to be capable of doing.

Stepp doesn’t miss an opportunity to tell people how proud she is of her son. Smith wears a silver bracelet with the inscription “It was then that I carried you” from the well-known poem Footprints in the Sand.

“My mom gave it to me,” he said. “I wear it everday.”

Smith was invited to participate in the winter games in Alaska at the end of the year but said he is not sure he will be able to attend because he plans to get back into the “working world.”

Lonnie wanted to be sure to thank Glenn and also Ken Tuckmantle of Lyman who helped with his training.

And as for the question of whether he will compete in the summer games in Pittsburg next year, his answer was automatic.

“Definitely,” Smith said.