Rolf Benirschke Shares Tales of NFL Glory, Personal Challenge at La Costa Glen Retirement Community

Rolf Benirschke, the former San Diego Charger placekicker who nearly died from ulcerative colitis, recently shared stories about his battle with the disease before a full house at La Costa Glen in Carlsbad, California. Benirschke also spoke to the residents of the retirement community about the highs and lows of his NFL career and life after football as a patient advocate for others suffering from Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis.

During the one-hour inspirational talk, the 62-year-old Benirschke shared his belief that “God has endowed us with an indomitable spirit. We only discover this when we end up in a ‘ditch’ like I did with this disease.” Looking around the room filled with more than 140 older adults, Benirschke added, “I’m sure many of you have also crashed in a ‘ditch’ and experienced an overwhelming challenge at some point in your life. There’s a lot of wisdom in this room about overcoming the low points in life.”

Benirschke made his appearance at La Costa Glen as part of the community’s ongoing “Sports Night” series. Previous speakers include NBA great Bill Walton and San Diego State University head football coach Rocky Long.