(The following is a Profile article published in the Alumni Newsletter just three weeks before Jack's death)
 

Jack Briggs’ life started out much the same as most other young children.  These notes, penned by his mother in his baby book, tell the story of Jack’s beginnings.  “Baby John was born at Greenwood Hospital, Friday, August 11, 1933 at 9:03 p.m., Dr. Knowlton attending, also Alice Seamen and Miss Jensen.  Baby looks just like father.”  Two years later this entry was made; “Baby John was sick with a cold in November, 1935.  Dr. Close treated him.  In the first week in January, we found out that Jackie had paralysis.  We are taking him to the Theo. Roosevelt Hospital in New York.  In 1936 Jackie was wearing a brace on his right arm and left leg.  We hope he will be all right soon.”  Briggs’ illness was polio.  It was to return later in life as Post-Polio Syndrome and affects him to this day.
 

Briggs lived with his medical disability as a young boy and in time outgrew them.  By the time he was in his late teens, in his own words, he was a “wayward” boy and with help from people in his home town he came to Boys Town.  During his two year stay at Boys Town Briggs participated as a member of the Boys Town Choir, was a commissioner in Boys Town’s program of self-government, a member of the swimming and bowling teams and a member of the Pep Club.  Even with all this extra-curricular activity and working on the Boys Town mail bus which went to Omaha twice a day, he graduated from Boys Town with the Class of 1952 with “decent grades”, according to Briggs. 
 

After working for others as a driver Briggs decided to strike out on his own and in 1955 he opened “Jack’s Delivery Services” in Greenwich, Connecticut.  He started small with only $200.00 in his pocket and grew his business from one small panel truck that eventually became a fleet of trucks performing local deliveries and nation-wide household goods moving and an air freight division.  He also provided private chauffeuring in an individual’s own car when their needs kept them from driving into places like New York City.  Briggs got out of the delivery business in 1971 and moved to Florida.
 

Briggs’ Boys Town days were ever present on his mind and in 1963 he joined with several other New England area alumni to found the New England Chapter of the BTNAA^® and served as president for nearly ten years prior to moving to Florida.  He remained connected with the BTNAA® after he moved to Florida and communicated with Father Val Peter on a frequent basis.
 

Once in Florida, Briggs became a realtor specializing in commercial properties and eventually owned a motel.  In his early fifties, he became afflicted with Post-Polio Syndrome and that limited his mobility.  Post-Polio Syndrome has no known cure at this time.  However, in 1985, his affliction didn’t stop him from performing an act of heroism by saving a drowning boy in a pool in Florida.  He was sitting by the pool and noticed that a teenage boy had gone into the pool and after 30 seconds he still didn’t see him.  Using his cane, he went over to the edge of the pool and saw that the boy was motionless in the bottom.  Diving into the pool, he swam down to the boy and pulled him to the surface where others assisted in getting the boy out of the pool and administered CPR to revive him.  As a result of his heroic action he was selected as a Baywatch/Red Cross All American Hero.  He was flown to Los Angeles where he was presented his award by the cast of Baywatch.
 

Briggs, who was no longer able to walk, lived in Florida and continued to extol the virtues of Boys Town and his time on campus.  He credited Boys Town with giving him the skill and drive to be successful in business and life.  Prior to his death, he mailed his memoirs to the Alumni Office to be placed in the Hall of History.