Lawmakers recommend Rafer Johnson for Presidential Medal of Freedom

KINGSBURG, Calif. (KFSN) -- There is a new push for late Olympic legend and actor Rafer Johnson to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

California Senator Alex Padilla led a bipartisan delegation in sending a letter to President Biden, recommending that Johnson be awarded posthumously.

The Kingsburg High School alum was one of the most well-known and successful athletes of his time.

In 1960, he won gold in the Olympic Decathlon after having won a silver in the 1956 games.

After his storied career as an athlete, Johnson became an actor.

He appeared in a number of movies including Wild in the Country with Elvis Presley and the 1989 James Bond film, A License to Kill.

Johnson even helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy's assassin in 1968.

In the letter to President Biden, lawmakers went on to say his legacy serves as a blueprint for all Americans.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation's highest civilian honor.