What Things Are You Proudest of In Your Life?

Looking back, there are several things I am proud of.

Ann and I set an environment in our home that encouraged our five children to pursue college educations. We had five children: Trisha was a pharmacist; Kevin, Paul, and Scott earned mechanical engineering degrees; and Keith is a CPA. They all developed a strong work ethic. 

I am so proud of all my children. They were great kids and turned into great adults. They have all helped a great deal as Ann and I have aged.

One of the things Ann and I were proud of is that we broke the cycle of alcoholism in our families. My father was an alcoholic, and Ann’s mother had a drinking problem later in life.

I was also proud of the initiative I took to attend Bentley and study accounting. I went twice a week, at night, for five years. When the treasurer’s position opened up at my bank, I had my accounting education behind me, so I was prepared and had the confidence to assume the position.

With the confidence I gained at my first bank, I was able to take a position at my second bank as Executive Vice President and Treasurer. Along with the treasurer’s responsibilities, I ran the bank on a daily basis, conducted Loan Committee and Executive Committee meetings weekly, and a Board of Directors meeting monthly.

I went into the hospital for a couple of stents in 2018. They decided I needed a triple bypass. The operation was a success, but later I coded for 30 minutes. I ended up in hospitals and a rehab facility for a total of 189 days. Much of the time I was in bed and, as a result, lost the use of my legs. The uncertainty of my future life weighed heavily on my thinking. 

Before my surgery, I used to golf daily. I lived alone, and I wanted to be able to return to that life and stay in Florida. I decided to do extra work to strengthen my legs. I walked the halls of the rehab facility—first with a wheelchair, then with a walker. I measured the length of the halls. They were 900 yards long, or the length of nine football fields. Some days I walked them twice.

At the end of my stay in rehab, my kids thought I would need to go to an assisted living facility for a little while before going home. On the day I was discharged, a therapist came home with me and evaluated how I functioned in the house. Because of the extra work I had done, I passed. I was able to return home, live independently, and, eventually with a bit more PT and OT, get back on the golf course.

Fast forward to May 2022. As I write this, I am at Encompass Health, a rehabilitation hospital in Sarasota, Florida. I had a stroke on April 20, 2022 and eventually came to this facility. It is an intensive rehab program, which means three hours of therapy five days per week. There are 58 patients in my wing. I am the only one on my floor doing extra work in the halls. I propel my wheelchair to strengthen my legs. I do this six or eight times each day. Hopefully, this extra work will allow me to live independently and play golf again. 

These are the things I am proud of.

Addendum from Trisha: Dad's stroke left him with some balance issues. Through sheer determination and perseverance, he, once again, got himself back on the golf course. In September, 2025, he set a goal to play in the club championship in his community at River Isles golf course. In order to qualify for the tournament, he had to submit scores for 27 holes. He didn't tell any of us that he had set this goal, but I was there the day he pulled into the garage in his golf cart and came in and announced that he would be playing in the tournament.

I was shocked! Dad was definitely dealing with some balance challenges, but I remember learning something about my Dad that day that I never really paid attention to before. When he made up his mind to do something, he did it.

My brother Keith called and I told him about Dad's accomplishment. Keith, also a golfer, congratulated Dad on his accomplishment. After the call I got a text from Keith that literally gave me goosebumps and had tears rolling down my cheeks: 

"I booked a flight to Florida. I'm going to surprise Dad and come down and caddy for him in the tournament."

I was the photographer. He had a galley of fans and lots of support, including friends, neighbors, caregivers, and family. And he finished off his last tournament with a par on the last hole. It was so good to see my Dad out there doing what he loved to do and sharing it with people he loves. He's a humble guy. I'm not sure he has any idea how much it meant for all of us to be there for his last round.