Former Olympic Downhill Champ Bill Johnson Dies at Age of 55

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 1984 file photo, Bill Johnson raises his arms into the air to celebrate his gold medal in the mens Olympic downhill in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The U.S. ski team says the former Olympic downhill champion has died after a l 

KITZBUEHEL: Bill Johnson, the first American skier to win an Olympic downhill title, has died after a long illness, the U.S. ski team said Friday. He was 55.

Megan Harrod, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Alpine team, said Johnson died Thursday at an assisted living facility in Gresham, Oregon.

Johnson's health had been on the decline for several years after a series of strokes.

Johnson won the downhill at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics, the first American skier to capture gold in Alpine skiing's marquee event.

He tried to make a comeback ahead of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics but was badly injured in a downhill training run in 2001, sustaining a traumatic brain injury.