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Who are your Parkinson’s heroes?
Columnist Jamie Askari defines a hero as “someone who overcomes adversity and does it with a smile”, and she says that celebrity PD advocate Michael J. Fox is a hero for her and her family.
Who are your Parkinson’s heroes and what about their life inspires you to look up to them?
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16 Replies
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Besides MJF, I don’t know too many “ordinary” everyday folk with PD — to me the one’s I tend to look up to, are mainly high profile actors and comedians, like Billy Connolly, Alan Alda, Robin Williams (RIP), Linda Ronstadt. and the like. Michael J is my ultimate hero after watching his doco “Still” recently. But then, so is his spouse, Tracy Pollan!
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All great people to look up to, Alan! I need to check out Still sometime soon. Were you able to watch it on a streaming service?
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I learn from everyone I meet with Parkinson’s they are all my heroes despite living with Juvenile On-set Parkinson’s for 50 years myself. The ability to cope with such a devastating diagnosis requires a great deal of resilience and PWP and the community globally have it in bucket loads
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I’m sure many other PWP (and people without PD!) would say they admire and learn from you, too, Matt!
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Thanks Ally (:)
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Actually this is pretty simple. It is my wife Susanne Rheault who has been dealing with PD for about 8 years now. Yes, PD is the gift that keeps on taking and . . . as a US Army brat she learned early on how to “stand straight and walk briskly”. Susie was the first born and her Dad nicknamed her “Rocky”. She had to live up to the expectations of her Dad who was the commander of all Special Forces in Viet Nam. She also early on learned a lesson from her Grandparents of “That to which much has been given, much is expected”. Not giving up is what I admire in my wife. Yes, she has her down days and yet, she pulls herself out of the PD abyss and moves on. So, long and short of it is my hero is my wife . . . day in and day out.
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This really melted my heart to read, Gil. I hope you will share this post with Susie – she sounds like a real gem and so do you!
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Thanks for your kind words Ally. Being kind in the face of adversity is a skill we all need to practice (and master). Being a caregiver to my wife in the end . . . I get so much more than I give.
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As Gil says, our caregivers. If “married til death” et al, they are fully volunteered.
She could have, or …. should have, picked someone else!!!
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I would have to say that my hero was my husband. He was my caregiver and helped me and my mother
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Muhammad Ali. A great boxer and tireless advocate for pwp (especially in the black community) who helped start MJFox’s path. Both key advocates
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Absolutely, Steve! Ali was a leader and way maker in so many aspects of life, including PD.
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Your husband sounds like a hero to me, too, Barbara. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
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My heroes are my husband, Paul, who has been my care partner on this 26+-year journey with PD. He can make me giggle uncontrollably, and I can still do the same to him. A sense of humor is essential for surviving PD.
Karl and Angela Robb are also my PD heroes. Karl was diagnosed with PD when he was 26, more than 30 years ago. He and Angela are the calmest, most centered people I know. Like me, Karl has written 2 books about Parkinson’s. He also has an award-winning blog, A Soft Voice in a Noisy World. Angela is his care partner and co-author of their second book, Dealing and Healing with Parkinson’s Disease and Other Health Conditions: A Workbook for Body, Mind, and Spirit. We met in the early ’00s when we were all volunteer advocates for the Parkinson’s Action Network in Washington, DC. They were the state coordinators for Virginia, and I had the same role for Minnesota.
Liz Ogren is another PD hero of mine. Liz is a force of nature who started an organization, Pedal and Roll for Parkinson’s several years ago. (The group name has been modified to Pedal, Roll and Stroll for Parkinson’s, or PRSP). Despite having PD, Liz has been getting Parkies on recumbent bicycles, trikes and tandems owned by PRSP at least twice/week during bike season (which here in Minnesota is May-October).
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Hi Jackie, thank you for sharing about these incredible folks in your response! They all sound like human beacons of light and hope, which we all need, especially on dreary days!
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My Great-Grandma Amy is my first Parkinson’s hero. She took care of her husband, my Great-Grandpa Harry who had Parkinson’s. In the 1960s and early 1970s, there was no hospice service. She admitted him into a nursing home at the suggestion of many around her but that only lasted a few weeks. The first time she saw a bed sore which she deemed was because they didn’t get him up enough, she brought him home and cared for him until the end of his natural death.
My second Parkinson’s hero is my husband, Bart who takes excellent care of me. He helps me with whatever I need and I have complete confidence that he will always make decisions that are best for me because he knows what I want and don’t want better than anyone else.-
Lucinda, thank you for sharing. Your great-grandma and husband both sound like amazing people and wonderful caregivers. 🙂
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