Sean Kennedy

John Franklin was started breathing through his mouth at the age of 8.

“I just didn’t want to bother with the whole nose-breathing thing anymore,” Franklin said.

Little did he know that his such a simple change in breathing habits would affect his life in such a profound way.

Franklin, a senior communication studies and theater major from Running Water, recently landed a contract for a seven commercial ad campaign, with the possibility of more in the future, for Breathin’ Easy Nose Spray.

“Out of the blue I got this call from this lady who told me she’d heard about me from (Professor) Martins. And she just offered me this job,” Franklin said. “I thought about it for a minute and was like ‘Hell yah I’ll take it.'”

Franklin’s brush with success began in his freshman year, when he sat behind Marcia Hollars in a geography class.

“He fell asleep in class every day and started wheezing and snoring so loud I couldn’t hear the teacher,” she said. “Even when he was awake his breath kept coming in these long drawn out gasps. Sometimes I thought he was choking on something.”

After a semester with Franklin, Hollars finally made it through the class, but he left a lasting impression on her.

“I’ll never forget how it always felt drafty in that room because he was breathing so hard on my neck,” Hollars said.

Despite her bad experience with Franklin, Hollars was the one who suggested him to Breathin’ Easy.

“Professor Martins, over in Pugsley, was talking to me about how these people were looking for someone who could really wheez and, like, the first person I thought of was John,” Hollars said.

Thanks to Hollars’ help, Franklin will now make a reported $12 million dollars for wheezing in seven commercials. He also will lend his voice to an extensive radio campaign for Breathin’ Easy.

“I can’t believe this is happening to me,” Franklin said. “I rule.”

#1.887080:556422776.jpg:mouthbreather.jpg:John Franklin at age 9 in the first of many open-mouthed gasps.:courtesy photo