Despite everything he’s been through, John “J.P.” Medeiros is a very lucky man. As he so aptly puts it, “It’s one step at a time.”

Known throughout Bristol County for many years as a dedicated athlete, coach, sports announcer, and a few other things thrown in for good measure, J.P. has had his share of misfortune and heartache, starting from the time a little more than 20 years ago, when he was informed that his beloved son, John “J.P.” Medeiros Jr., 20, lost his life in a fatal car accident.

From that moment on, he and his beloved wife of 43 years, Maryem Medeiros, suffered great mental anguish.

To add even further misery, on Jan. 4, 2022, the night before J.P. Jr.’s 20th annual Memorial Ice Hockey game at Portsmouth Abbey between Mt. Hope High School and Barrington High, J.P. Sr. never made it to the game after he suffered a fall at his home on 91 Canario Drive in Warren, and blacked out.

“Thank God, Warren Rescue got here as quickly as they did,” J.P. remembers. “It took them about 7 minutes to get to my house. I had no mobility and I was lying on the ground unconscious. I couldn’t feel anything from the neck down. I was taken to Rhode Island Hospital and spent the next four weeks there. Then, it was discovered that I had COVID. It was a nightmare.”

Once he recovered from COVID, J.P. spent the next 18 days at the Vanderbilt Rehabilitation Center in Newport where he went through physical occupational therapy twice a day. It was rigorous, but J.P. made the best of a challenging situation.

“I also had a spinal tap at Rhode Island Hospital and discovered I had Lime Disease in the spinal fluid,” he said.

J.P. eventually had surgery on Feb. 22, 2022 which was performed by the highly-acclaimed Dr. Adetokunbo Oyelese, Spinal Surgery Director at the Norman Prince Spine Institute at R.I Hospital.

“He performed the neck and back surgery with his team that lasted almost 9 hours,” J.P. said. “It was quite an ordeal. I put my life in that man’s hands and he was incredible.”

Back home recovering from his latest medical issues, J.P. remains upbeat. He has an adoring wife and little dog named Georgie, who both make life a little easier. He still goes through rigorous exercises and as he so aptly put it, “Everyone is pulling for me.”

Anybody who knows J.P. Medeiros, and in the Bristol County area the numbers are staggering, will tell you there isn’t a finer human being.

During his younger days, J.P. played and coached high baseball and football at the former Bristol High School, was an outstanding fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball player in his native Bristol, coached T-Ball and B-Ball in Warren, and was a physical education teacher, sports announcer, and clock operator at home games at Barrington High School for a number of years. He was also an outstanding baseball umpire for 18 years and the recipient of the Pard Pearce Award for umpiring excellence.

Said longtime friend Joe DeMelo, “I met J.P. when I was 6 years old, my first playground supervisor at Hope Villa playground. We have been friends ever since. Played against him in the Bristol men's softball league for 15 years and played golf along with his son J.P. Jr. John is a wonderful man who I still look up to.”

“He was the best Gym teacher and coach ever,” added Maria Afonso Doherty on a Facebook post.

Retired Barrington police officer Bart “Bubby” Stanzione recalls J.P. well during their playing days in the old Bristol County Touch Football League.

“I remember during the Touch Football seasons, whenever we played his team there were too many times that I would have to block his bull rush to get to my quarterback and it was quite a challenge,” he said. “He was a good, hard hitting player who did not give up or let up. I have bruises to verify his tenacity. I enjoyed our competition. Off the field, he was a genuine, nice person.”

Added Romeo Lombardi of Warren, “John Paul was such a fantastic man. I played against him in high school football and he was a beast...with a heart of gold.”

Longtime Barrington friend, press booth colleague, and Barrington Boosters Club member Tony Arico says J.P. was in a class by himself.

“He’s always been a true professional,” said Arico. “He’s meant the world to me. He did it all. We go back many years and he’s been a big part of my life. He’s meant so much to so many people here in Barrington.”

“I had the pleasure of watching him play a monster third base in both baseball and softball,” remembers Paul Campagna. “He was a vacuum cleaner there. In addition, I don’t think there was a bigger fan of our hockey team at Bristol High School. Hope whatever he is going through is short-lived.”

When she looks back at what her husband has had to endure throughout his life and these past couple of years, Maryem Medeiros says, “I think what saved him was his attitude. He was never defeated. He was determined.”

J.P. reciprocated. “Maryem is my rock. Believe me. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”