Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Longtime Trainer Honored Their Relationship With 3 Pushups
Ginsburg was strong in many ways. She didn’t give up easily, and that includes when it comes to her health and physical fitness. Ginsburg was known to workout on a regular basis. She had a long-time personal trainer, Bryant Johnson, who worked with the Justice for 20 years.
Exercise was incredibly important to Ginsburg. Johnson remembers several times when he was surprised that she left important dinners early in order to fit in her workout. “I looked and said ‘Justice, you left the president to come do the workout?.’ And [she] said ‘Yes, gotta do my pushups, gotta do my planks and my workout.’ I was like ‘Yes, nice!’”
Not many people would be that committed to their workout. Perhaps there’s a lesson for all of us there.
Even in poor health, Ginsburg called for Johnson’s help. This past November, after Ginsburg got released from the hospital, she called for Johnson to come see her. “They said, ‘The justice wants to see you.’ I’m thinking to myself, ‘You just got released from the hospital.’ ‘She still wants to see you.’ So I actually met her at her house. And it wasn’t the fact that we could do a whole lot but it was the fact that she needed to see where she was and we’re gonna take it from that point.”
This past Friday, when Ginsburg made history as the first woman to be laid to rest in the US capital, Johnson found a very appropriate way to honor her. When it was his turn to approach the casket, he got down on the floor and did 3 perfect pushups.
Push ups for RBG pic.twitter.com/IC2pxlx97G
— Graham MacGillivray (@GWMacGillivray) September 25, 2020
Johnson’s tribute has moved a lot of people to tears.
I’m not crying, you’re crying 😭
— Coffee and kindness (@AutumnHerod7) September 25, 2020
Brought me to tears. We relied on her for so much & are all feeling her absence in different ways. Here is a person she relied upon & continued to see regularly to help keep her moving, I imagine he’s experiencing her death deeply. The unconventional tribute made my heart smile❤️
— Stacey Tinianov (@coffeemommy) September 25, 2020
Ginsburg’s life will not soon be forgotten.