He Who Dares, Lives!

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Although my life has experienced a series of adverse and life-changing events, I’ve always believed and live by the adage, “The difference between adversity and adventure is attitude.” Like a proper sailor, I am pretty good at adjusting  my course and riding the waves of my circumstances as they are presented.

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I spent my entire adulthood with a dream to sail, but the opportunity hadn’t presented itself until 16 years ago. Then came a major life adjustment. On January 10, 2025, at the age of 57, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. This devastating diagnosis caused me to completely rethink my dream of buying a sailboat and sailing around the world.

As luck would have it, I met John Bechtol, a long-time Bay area sailor. He was helping with the Sailing4Parkinsons (S4P) event, and he introduced me to Amy Bridge, the force behind the effort. Along came another course change and an opportunity to reef the main sail of my life and “rig for a squall.”​

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Through this incredible event and the corresponding programs, I learned that my PD diagnosis was not the end of my sailing journey; it was just the beginning! Because of S4P, this past summer, I was invited to sail with a crew in an offshore race on a 60-foot French racing yacht, Neptune. We sailed from Wicklow, Ireland through the Hebrides, over the top of Scotland, then down through the North Sea between England and France and ended the journey in Le Bono, France in Britany.  We sailed 1540 miles. It was quite an experience!

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Upon returning from that sail, I underwent a battery of tests administered by Dr. Matt Brown and Dr. Gwen Begue from Sacramento State University relating to a groundbreaking study they are conducting on the therapeutic benefits of sailing for an individual with Parkinson’s.  

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I am very eager to take on the next big challenge as a crew member on Neptune for the 2027 Rolex Fastnet Race. There’s more! The 2027 Ocean Globe Race is right around the corner and, once again, I have been invited to crew one leg of this historic race too.

Through S4P and the dynamic individuals associated with it; I now view my Parkinson’s from a totally optimistic vantage point. The disease isn’t the end. I’ve learned that courage is setting sail even when the waters are uncertain.

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The question many people ask me is, “Does sailing help your condition?” Subjectively, I say absolutely! My depression has decreased drastically; I feel like I’m on top of the world. My core gets a great workout every time I go out (even if only for a few hours), my body is challenged, and I get to do something I love with people who want to make a difference in the world. This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to learn more about the benefits of sailing for my Parkinson’s symptoms. For the most part, my world has expanded exponentially, and I look forward to getting out on the water every chance I can.

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Finally, my wife Jennifer and family have been incredibly supportive of my newfound hobby and journey with this disease. Jennifer and her business partner Oria recently opened two non-profit resale stores in St. Helena that are dedicated to raising funds for the Parkinson’s Association of Northern California (PANC), Sailing4Parkinsons, and other local causes. I’m so proud of her and grateful for the additional support that will be provided to these special organizations.

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Please join me and so many others to make a difference for those affected by PD by participating at the Sailing4Parkinsons regatta on April 10 and 11, 2027. Donate, sponsor, participate, or however you can be a part of this magical initiative. Sailing4Parkinsons has made a significant change to my life and attitude and I believe it can for others as well. It’s just the beginning of this work and together we can set a new course for those affected by Parkinson’s disease in Northern California.