John E. Andrist was the former publisher of The Omak Chronicle and former president of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. He was an active, vital leader in both his community and the newspaper industry when he suffered a stroke at age 61 in 1993. The stroke left him with a rare diagnosis: Locked-In Syndrome. He suffered no cognitive damage but was unable to move or speak - his mind was literally locked inside his body. Since then, John continued to fight for recovery. He received national press coverage when he demonstrated the importance of therapy by driving his power wheel chair across the top of Grand Coulee Dam in 2000. He continued weekly therapy and was very close to regaining functional speech. He enjoyed a full and active life, attending concerts, plays, church and other events. He became a symbol of hope and determination.

John E. Andrist works with
 physical therapist