THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 24, 1997 TAG: 9701240606
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A4 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: HOUSTON LENGTH: 18 lines
Astronaut John Blaha, quickly regaining strength after four months on Russia's Mir space station, greeted a small crowd Thursday after returning home to Houston.
The 54-year-old veteran astronaut, a 1960 graduate of Norfolk's Granby High, returned to Earth early Wednesday aboard the shuttle Atlantis. Dramatically weakened by his 128 days of weightlessness, Blaha was unable to stand without assistance. On Thursday, he stood, walked and signed autographs.
``I feel 100 percent better,'' Blaha said. ``I was shocked at how I didn't feel good yesterday, and I'm equally shocked at the recovery.''