Tucker Dupree, a world-ranked Paralympic Swimmer from North Carolina, won a Silver Medal and four Bronze Medals at the 2010 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships Aug. 15-21 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Dupree’s results:

▪ Silver Medal – 100 Meter Freestyle (54.43) – New American Record

▪ Bronze Medal – 100 Meter Butterfly (59.55) – New American Record

▪ Bronze Medal – 100 Meter Backstroke (1:02.09) – New American Record

▪ Bronze Medal – 50 Meter Freestyle (25.01)

▪ Bronze Medal – 400 Meter Freestyle (4:23.44)

▪ 5th Place – 200 Meter Individual Medley (2:18.67) – New American Record

“To say that I was happy with how I swam in the Netherlands is an understatement,” Dupree said. “I feel good about how I have continued to improve each meet.”

Dupree has now relocated to Colorado Springs, Colo., where he’ll participate in the USOC Training Facility Residency Program until he travels to London for the 2012 Paralympic Games. Dupree was chosen for the Residency Program after an application process.

“The fact that I am at the USOC Training Center now is something that I think will take me to the next level,” Dupree said. “I have all the resources at my disposal here that can help me get to the (medal) podium in 2012 (at the Paralympic Games in London). I am looking forward to making the most of my elite training here in Colorado Springs.”

Dupree, who won six Gold Medals at the Can-Am National Championships in San Antonio last spring that qualified him for the Netherlands meet, has now represented the United States in six international competitions, including the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing.

Last December, Tucker won a Gold Medal, two Silver Medals and two Bronze Medals at the Short Course World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He’s on track to win Gold at the 2012 Paralympics in London.

At age 17, Dupree, while a standout high school swimming, began to lose his vision and was diagnosed with a rare disease called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. In a short period of time, he lost 60-80 percent of his central vision in both eyes. Since that time, he has become a stronger swimmer and has also set a new life ambition: personal inspirational speaking.

The Paralympics are Olympic style games for 4,000 elite athletes representing 136 countries in 13 different disability groups, emphasizing their athletic achievements rather than their disabilities. Dupree qualified to represent the United States at the 2008 Paralympics in Minneapolis last April at the Paralympics swimming trials where he won five Gold Medals.

Dupree is a 2007 honors graduate of Garner Magnet High School in Garner, N.C. He spent the 2008-09 school year as a varsity swimmer at Gardner-Webb Univers-ity in Boiling Springs, N.C., near Shelby.

For more information, or to inquire about Tucker Dupree as an inspirational speaker, please contact www.tuckerdupree.com or 919-210-4068, or Ken Bland at ken.bland@sas.com.

George Maurice Peacock, 61, passed away on Sunday morning, August 22, 2010. A native and lifelong resident of Wake County, he was the son of the late Maurice Peacock and Irene Penny Peacock. A professional futures trader, analyst, and pilot, his passions included flying his airplane, staying fit and helping his fellow man. Throughout his life, he desired nothing more than to let his beliefs show in his daily life; his fervor for spreading his Conservative and Christian beliefs was unparalleled. A man of few words, when he spoke, you could be sure of hearing profound statements. Evidence of his knowledge and wisdom can be found in his published articles in Trend Dynamics Magazine; each community of which he was a part valued his advice, experience and work ethic, as these traits contributed to making him the man everyone loved. Unfailingly compassionate, he never wavered in his love for God, his family and those close to him. An avid traveler, he visited every state in the union save Hawaii, flying his own Cessna 180 to most of them. Intellectual challenges were important to him, as his career was not only extremely fulfilling, but a puzzle waiting to be solved. Among those who knew him well, he will be sorely missed. Survivors include his son, Jon M. Peacock of Raleigh; sister, Karen Peacock Norkus and husband, Chris Norkus of Whispering Pines; brother, Richard M. Peacock of Swansboro, and many nieces and nephews. The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, August 26 at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home in Garner. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, August 27 at Garner United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Heart of Carolina Emmaus, memo: scholarship, 4617 Governor Hunt St., Efland, NC 27243.