We've written about Manalo Draves before and the racism she faced training for the US diving team because she was Filipino. To this day, she still hasn't been honored by the San Francisco Sports Hall of Fame even though she is a home-grown champion athlete.
READ more about Vickie Manalo Draves here and here, too.
Today, there is a park named after her a few blocks where she lived. The elementary school she attended has become the Filipino Education Center for immigrant children and her old neighborhood has officially been named the Filipino Heritage District, the city's new Filipinotown after the original Manilatown was taken over by the Financial District and Chinatown.
Google was able to interview Manalo Draves' children and what they remember about their mother, who died in 2010. Google writes:
David:
Growing up with a mother who was an Olympian came with notoriety, but she was always first-and-foremost, my mom. So that part was pretty ordinary. And as a mom, she had her work cut out for her… I was a handful by myself, and then came my three brothers.
But competitive diving was always part of our world… after all, our father was a diving coach. Although both our parents were respected in the sport of diving and we all were—from a young age—competitive divers, there really wasn’t any pressure to compete.
But if we wanted to, both dad and mom made it a point that no favoritism or special treatment was extended. In fact, often the coach-dad was more critical of his sons than he ever was of his students. It was never spoken and kind of funny, but my brothers and I all seemed to understand why.
With all the success and fame my parents received for their amazing achievements and contributions to the sport of diving, the one thing they both showed my brothers and I was humility. To win was one thing, but to be gracious and humble were the attributes of a true “Champion.”
The two of them were so intertwined in her Olympic accomplishments, and it is very difficult to only talk about my mom. We grew up modestly, but I never felt it. Both my parents were very proud and tremendously grateful they had the opportunity to succeed in an industry and sport they loved so very much.
Jeff:
Like my brothers, I also value the important virtues my mother instilled in our lives. She was a famed Olympic medalist, so there was plenty of opportunity to teach us about arrogance and conceit. But instead, through how she lived her life, she taught us the importance of humility and humbleness. Similarly, her influence showed me that nothing was more important than family.
After the 1948 games, she took her well-deserved victory lap of fame but almost as fast, she set her new focus upon building and raising a family. I can never recall any instance of her pushing me or my brothers to be the greatest divers in the world, but she would ask—with focused interest—how our school was going, how we were developing friendships and in what ways we could support one another in our family. That was a singular focus of hers, raising a family, and she approached that goal with all the discipline and focus she once gave to the art of diving.
Family is key to love and happiness, and I will forever appreciate her for teaching me that critical life lesson.
Dale:
I did not know how lucky I was until I heard my older brother’s stories and the stories of their friends.
The diving world became a huge part of my life and helped me grow. The sport helped me learn to be professional and respectful. Because of my mom’s accomplishments and my dad’s influence, they gave me the chance to know myself and to better myself. I so appreciate what I had and how great it was to be raised by the Olympian Victoria Manalo Draves.
Kim:
Growing up with the admiration and respect my parents received from the diving and swimming world showed my brothers and me how lucky we were to have parents that raised all of us to believe your word is the most valuable thing you have.
Being the youngest, I felt that I was lucky to have brothers who also followed that same upbringing. I am proud to say I am a Draves.
Being raised under the wing of an Olympian forever makes me feel proud and it is an honor that has never lost its luster. That said, growing up with an Olympian was, and always will be, growing up with “Mom.”
Debra (David’s wife):
There was something about Vicki’s smile, but it wasn’t just her smile… it was if she knew something. Some secret. Or that she already knew the ending to the story. But it was even more than that… Vicki absolutely radiated. I didn’t truly understand what it was about her that was so magnetic and fun to be around until after she passed.
I knew she read her Bible every day, but that seemed to be a private part of her. Today, I suspect all I would have had to do is ask. But I missed the opportunity. I was uncomfortable. I missed out. I regret now that I didn’t ask her those more personal questions about her faith and her relationship with God. Today, I have a feeling that she would have told me that it was God smiling on her and God telling her that secret.
It makes me happy (and sad) that she is even that much closer to Him now.
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