At 85, Jack Tierney is among the oldest type 1 diabetics in America. There are over 38 million Americans with diabetes, of which 2 million are type 1.
A type 1 diabetic’s body produces no insulin and needs insulin injections to keep blood sugar levels normal. Abnormal levels can result in debilitating consequences, sometimes life-threatening. Type 2 diabetics produce some insulin and can often control blood sugar without insulin injections.
Tierney was diagnosed in 1959 at age 19 when diabetes was far less understood than today. Although he had extraordinarily high blood sugar, his doctor failed to prescribe insulin, thereby risking Tierney’s life. He went 18 months without insulin until a second doctor prescribed it.
During the next six decades Tierney took multiple insulin shots daily. “I figure I’ve given myself 42,000 shots over the years,” he said. “At first, before each shot I had to boil the needles and sharpen them. Now there are thin disposable needles.”
Also initially, like other diabetics at the time, Tierney had no way of monitoring his blood sugar and insulin needs. So, insulin injections were imprecise. That changed later with invention of the glucometer.
“Every type 1 diabetic worries about low blood sugar at night,” he said. “That concern had me up every night at 1:30 a.m. to check how I felt, work out for 45 minutes and go back to sleep.”
Diabetes dramatically changed Tierney’s lifestyle, including his diet and exercise.
“It was not easy,” he said. “But don’t ever think you can’t do what you aspire to do in life because of diabetes.”
Born in 1940 and raised in Ohio, Tierney is the oldest of six siblings. His father was a bus driver and mother a homemaker. Tierney worked 32 hours a week during high school as a stock boy, contributing his earnings to the family.
He attended Catholic school. He felt he had a calling and wanted to become a priest.
In 1958 he graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in theology and went on to earn a master’s in philosophy and doctorate in psychology.
He spent two years as an ordained priest in Virginia before coming to San Diego in 1969 to teach at a private Catholic school.
After eight years’ teaching, he was recruited to join San Diego County’s Office of Education as an administrator in various roles. He served as a high school principal, assistant superintendent of two high school districts, superintendent of Grossmont Union High School District and superintendent of San Ysidro School District.
After 36 years in education, he retired in 2005.
Tierney is proud of his career noting, for example, when he began at San Ysidro, the district “was near the bottom of 1,000 statewide in terms of academic performance. When I left three years later, it was academically one of the best.”
How did he achieve so much while coping with type 1 diabetes? “I never felt myself disadvantaged or handicapped. I kept a positive attitude. And, I followed my doctor’s advice.”
“Diabetes has improved my life. It forced me to take better care of myself.”
Today, Tierney lives in La Jolla with his wife of 55 years, Bonnie. They have two adult children and one grandchild.
He no longer injects insulin. He wears a device that continuously monitors his blood sugar and an automatic pump that contains three days of insulin.
“A 7-year-old can be trained to use the pump,” he said. “Parents get alerts on their phones as to their children’s blood sugar, and insulin will kick in when needed.”
Having benefited from technology, Tierney supports research to advance medical science and some day cure diabetes. He has lobbied members of Congress and is active in national organizations. He has written three books on his career and diabetes that he plans to publish as a trilogy and donate proceeds to diabetes research.
And he says he is “by far the oldest person to participate” in the annual 1.3 mile walk in San Diego to support diabetes-related causes. He looks forward to participating later this year at 86.
About this series
Goldsmith is a Union-Tribune contributing columnist.
We welcome reader suggestions of people who have done something extraordinary or otherwise educational, inspiring or interesting and who have not received much previous media. Please send suggestions to Jan Goldsmith at jgsandiego@yahoo.com