Nick Pappas learned early on what it means to chase a dream, come what may. Nick grew up in Athens, Greece, near the beach, and during his high school years he was a singer in a top rock band and a top athlete. At 17, he won 3rd place in the 110m hurdles at the Greek school games; At 19, he placed 2nd in the 5-meter platform high dive and 5th in the 3-meter springboard for the prestigious Panathenaikos athletic club. But the meaning of never stop chasing your dream came before…
The stage was set in Athens at the historic marble Panathenaikon Stadium, where the international athletics meeting between Greece and Sweden was to take place. Being the popular athletics in Greece, about 20,000 people attended that day. Nick was scheduled to run 200 meters.
The unique thing about that stadium is that it’s probably the only one in the world where 200 meters is a straight shot, with no twists or turns. You just have to make sure that once you cross the finish line you cross the finish line quickly to your left to avoid getting smashed into the marble barrier. Nick’s coach was a 60 year old, 5’5, 180 pound man who nonetheless had a passion for the sport and had dedicated his entire life to it.
That fateful day, the coach had no choice but to ask Nick to run 400 meters, in addition to 200 meters, because the 400-meter runner got sick. Nick hadn’t trained for the 400m; this distance requires a different strategy and a different mindset. A quick lesson from the coach didn’t help much that day, as Nick set up early on with an unclear picture of what second-by-second strategy would be. When the shot was heard, he leaped from the stands guided by the mental-physical instincts of a 200-meter sprinter, rather than the 400-meter tactician who ensures that with each stride he positions himself according to the well-studied enemy. surrounding field. At 300 meters, Nick’s legs were gone. His lungs were pumping feverishly with volumes of air, but the directions from his brain to his muscles were unanswered. At about 330 meters, the machine that would later go on and win top 5 positions in various sports in Greece came to a complete stop. Suddenly, the trainer, who had cleverly positioned himself behind the marble barrier at the 350-meter mark, began yelling at Nick to start again, waving his arms frantically and pointing to the finish line. Of all the fans who were yelling and cheering for their own runners, Nick could clearly hear the coach’s yells.
Somehow, Nick managed to muster enough strength and poise to carry on and finish the race, even if he was last. The proud worried, trying to catch his breath, exhausted, ashamed and beaten, felt that he wanted to disappear and die. But this was nothing compared to what was about to happen 5 seconds later.
The coach reaches the finish line. Nick looks up to see a glowing red, angry trainer. For a 16 year old, a fuming 60 year old is a terrifying sight. The coach wastes no time getting to the point. Shouting and calling Nick by various names, he manages to sum it up: “Never, never, never, never quit a race! You die before you quit a race! You always finish a race, even if you have to crawl on your shoulders!” . four to the finish line! I’m 60 and I could run right now and finish this race!” Later in the locker room, he reiterated the lesson of a lifetime, this time with a fatherly look on his face: “Niko, you never give up, not just a race. , but anything you do in life. You never give up anything, the career, your dream. If you quit now, this will follow you in everything you do. Never give up, period!”
There was a lot to learn that day for a cocky 16 year old who until then thought he was unbeatable as a god at everything he did. Nick won races, diving competitions, volleyball trophies in Greece and also later, after moving to the US, and finally car racing while competing for Porsche’s PCA. The lesson he learned that day pushed him to pursue and receive four college degrees, including a Ph.D., and embark on a highly successful career in medicine, his current passion in life.
Eight years ago, Nick moved to Los Angeles pursuing another dream, following his true passion: music. Over the years he had written a lot of music and songs, but it wasn’t until he came to California that this dream came true. He collaborated with 3 famous musicians and completed 2 CDs which are being traded on over 65 music websites.
Nick is calmer now than when he learned that fateful lesson years ago. He now lives in Del Mar, again near the beach, continues to research medicine and continues to work on the next CD. He can write another scientific article for a medical journal and add it to the more than 50 already published. Aside from regular workouts at the gym and flying F4 fighter jets in the Midway aircraft carrier simulator in San Diego, his main sport these days is… pampering his rare Aston Martin Vanquish or riding his custom Harley up and down. of the coast. By the way, he designed this bike and it won 4 trophies at bike shows; “No more of that,” he says, “too much cleaning, too much pressure; I just want to ride now.”
One thing is for sure: Nick will chase his dream no matter what.
“I think Coach is somewhere up there still watching me to make sure I don’t give up on my dreams,” he says, rubbing his chin and looking up at the blue California sky…