John Gilmore’s life-saving routine

Last December, John Gilmore spent nine hours on a surgical table after an aortic valve dissection almost claimed his life. When he woke up after surgery, his doctors told him that his habit of walking several miles multiple times each week had helped to save his life. So as soon as he was able to resume his morning walks, John and his wife were back in Overton Park to greet the sunrise.

John, an anthropology professor at the University of Memphis and the spiritual director of Open Heart Spiritual Center, views the park as an asset for the city. He brings friends visiting from other cities on his morning walks, and few of them have ever experienced anything like the Old Forest right in the middle of the urban core. “They don’t have access to a place like this,” he says. “Being this close to nature and running into so many interesting people is great.”

A recent anthropology lecture on place and space brought Overton Park to mind for John. “The concept was that place is a physical location, but space is what happens when people gather.” He remembers bringing his granddaughter for her first visit to the playground when she was three years old. Her eyes widened and she exclaimed, “Look at all the babies!” For John, seeing kids meeting on the playground, watching golfers on the links, and attending concerts at Levitt Shell all add up to a space that Memphians can be proud of.