Growing Bolder 2014

March/April 2014

HOPE • INSPIRATION • POSSIBILITY

THE MAN WHO CAN DO (ALMOST) ANYTHING ■ SINGING THE PRAISES OF DETROIT

®

HOOP DREAMSNow Battling Parkinson’s, NBA Veteran

John Gabriel Needs One More Magic Act.

1GB_Mar14_Cov TOC.indd 1 2/17/14 5:02:23 PM

All spinal surgeries are not created equal. The NeuroSpine Institute’s renowned minimally invasive surgery means

shorter downtime for patients so you can GET BACK TOYOUR LIFE

Dr. Mitchell Supler brings 17 years of experience to NeuroSpine Institute. Dr. Supler graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Medicine in 1989, receiving the Lyerly Award for excellence in Neurosurgery. He completed his residency in Neurosurgery at the University of Florida in 1996, having trained with Dr. Masson. Dr. Supler was trained by Dr. Albert Rhoton, the father of microneurosurgery while at the University of Florida, in advanced microneurosurgical anatomy and surgery.

Dr. Robert Masson, founder of the NeuroSpine Institute, com-bined his skills in microneu-rosurgery with his passion for sports to create the fi eld of sports spine surgery. Inventor of iMas, an intepedicular minimal access surgery of the lumbar spine, he is responsible for the education, product development and re-search for Synthes Spine in iMas productis and techniques.

ORLCM_120700_NeuroSpine_FP.indd 1 12/14/12 11:23:04 AM

Family Caregiver... We Care for You!Uncertain and Anxious?Tired? Stressed?Do you neglect yourself...need “me” time?

Hospice cares for your loved one and you!

❖ Home visits to manage patient’s pain and symptoms

❖ Emotional and spiritual support for everyone

❖ 24-hour assistance and advice

❖ Patient Bathing and Personal Care

❖ And so much more for those facing serious illness Patient with caregiver wife and

Cornerstone Hospice Social Worker

Information Referrals (888)728-6234 and (866)742-6655

www.cornerstonehospice.orgwww.SeriousIllness.org/Cornerstone

Medicare, Medicaid, most commercial insurances accepted.


Information Referrals

Family Caregiver... We Care for You!

Cornerstone Hospice FP GB.indd 1 4/24/13 3:31:45 PM1GB_Mar14_Cov TOC.indd 2 2/17/14 12:17:51 PM

All spinal surgeries are not created equal. The NeuroSpine Institute’s renowned minimally invasive surgery means

shorter downtime for patients so you can GET BACK TOYOUR LIFE

Dr. Mitchell Supler brings 17 years of experience to NeuroSpine Institute. Dr. Supler graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Medicine in 1989, receiving the Lyerly Award for excellence in Neurosurgery. He completed his residency in Neurosurgery at the University of Florida in 1996, having trained with Dr. Masson. Dr. Supler was trained by Dr. Albert Rhoton, the father of microneurosurgery while at the University of Florida, in advanced microneurosurgical anatomy and surgery.

Dr. Robert Masson, founder of the NeuroSpine Institute, com-bined his skills in microneu-rosurgery with his passion for sports to create the fi eld of sports spine surgery. Inventor of iMas, an intepedicular minimal access surgery of the lumbar spine, he is responsible for the education, product development and re-search for Synthes Spine in iMas productis and techniques.

ORLCM_120700_NeuroSpine_FP.indd 1 12/14/12 11:23:04 AM

Family Caregiver... We Care for You!Uncertain and Anxious?Tired? Stressed?Do you neglect yourself...need “me” time?

Hospice cares for your loved one and you!

❖ Home visits to manage patient’s pain and symptoms

❖ Emotional and spiritual support for everyone

❖ 24-hour assistance and advice

❖ Patient Bathing and Personal Care

❖ And so much more for those facing serious illness Patient with caregiver wife and


Information Referrals (888)728-6234 and (866)742-6655

www.cornerstonehospice.orgwww.SeriousIllness.org/Cornerstone

Medicare, Medicaid, most commercial insurances accepted.


Information Referrals

Family Caregiver... We Care for You!

Cornerstone Hospice FP GB.indd 1 4/24/13 3:31:45 PM1GB_Mar14_Cov TOC.indd 3 2/17/14 12:17:57 PM

4 GROWING BOLDER MARCH/APRIL 2014

contents6 FROM THE EDITOR

8 GROWING BOLDER WITH...

10 MOVE FORWARD, GIVE BACKA businessman � nds his true calling. By Jackie Carlin

12 ONE MORE MAGIC ACTJohn Gabriel battles Parkinson’s and takes the � ght to Central Florida. By Marc Middleton

16 5 QUESTIONSA world-record holder � nds purpose on the high seas. By Jackie Carlin

18 BEHIND THE SCENESStart your week right with GB TV and radio. By Jackie Carlin

20 AIN’T LIFE GRANDWant to start a successful business? Hit the garage. By Key Howard

22 BOLDER ARTSSongwriter hopes “The D’ renews Detroit’s spirit. By Jackie Carlin

25 ROAD TO RECOVERYLow impact cardio may keep “angry” nerves quiet. By Robert L. Masson, M.D.

26 MASTERS SPORTSSandy Scott wants to be the best at whatever he does — and he usually is. By Bill Shafer

28 BOLDER NUTRITIONBusting sugar myths: It’s obesity, not the sweet stuff, that’s the real issue. By Dr. Susan Mitchell

30 THE TAKEAWAYMy motto for solving life’s problems? “Funk the dumb stuff.” By Bill Shafer

On the Cover: John Gabriel surrounded by his family. Clockwise from the top: Amelia, a University of Florida junior; Jack, a freshman at Lake Highland Prep; Dorothy, his wife; Meredith, a senior at Lake Highland Prep. Photo by Alan Fraebel (afraebelstudios.com).

Is today the day you begin the next phase of your life?

NEW MODELS NOW OPEN &NEW HOME SITES AVAILABLE

At Del Webb communities, at least one resident must be 55 years of age or older, no one under 19 (18 in certain communities) in permanent residence, and additional restrictions apply. Some residents may be younger than 55. This material shall not constitute a valid o�er in any state where prior registration is required or if void by law. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Contact a sales consultant for details. CGC1515415. ©2014 Pulte Home Corporation. All rights reserved. 2/7/2014.

New Single Family Homes

Call to RSVP at 866-671-3330

225 Ridgewood Lakes Blvd. | Davenport, FL 33837

Tour 8 Model Homes & ClubhouseVisit delwebb.com/dwo for driving instructions.

Full time on-site Lifestyle Director

30,800 sq. ft. clubhouse

TechnoGym Fitness Center

Resort-style pool & spa

Indoor heated pool & spa

Tennis, pickle ball, bocce ball and basketball courts

Outdoor firepit & amphitheater

Fishing pier & miles of walking trails

Billiards, arts & craft room, and ballroom

Guard-gated privacy

Active-Adult Living

The Avatar Course PutsHappiness and Spiritual

Awakenings in Everyone’s Grasp.

“Avatar is nothing

more or less than an

escape from a mind

trap, that you have

been caught in for

so long, you have

forgotten what

freedom

feels like.” From

The Avatar Path, The

Way We Came

by Harry Palmer

March 15th-23rd

Resurfacing WorkshopsStarting Daily

Westin Lake MaryOrlando North

For a free intro by phoneor in person

Tia Greno 716-633-0715 Laurie Kammer 860-823-9743 Meredith Greno 716-633-0715

Avatar Course.indd 1 2/17/14 12:14:25 PM


contents

Growing Bolder

Is today the day you begin the next phase of your life?

NEW MODELS NOW OPEN &NEW HOME SITES AVAILABLE

At Del Webb communities, at least one resident must be 55 years of age or older, no one under 19 (18 in certain communities) in permanent residence, and additional restrictions apply. Some residents may be younger than 55. This material shall not constitute a valid o�er in any state where prior registration is required or if void by law. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Contact a sales consultant for details. CGC1515415. ©2014 Pulte Home Corporation. All rights reserved. 2/7/2014.

New Single Family Homes

Call to RSVP at 866-671-3330

225 Ridgewood Lakes Blvd. | Davenport, FL 33837

Tour 8 Model Homes & ClubhouseVisit delwebb.com/dwo for driving instructions.

Full time on-site Lifestyle Director

30,800 sq. ft. clubhouse

TechnoGym Fitness Center

Resort-style pool & spa

Indoor heated pool & spa

Tennis, pickle ball, bocce ball and basketball courts

Outdoor firepit & amphitheater

Fishing pier & miles of walking trails

Billiards, arts & craft room, and ballroom

Guard-gated privacy

Active-Adult Living



Editor-in-ChiefMarc Middleton

Managing EditorBill Shafer

Associate EditorsKaty Widrick, Jackie Carlin

Contributing WritersWendy Chioji, Jill Middleton, Bess Auer, Dr. Susan Mitchell,

Key Howard

Additional PhotographyAlan Fraebel, Fernando Medina/Orlando Magic, Liliane Hakim Photography, Dan Byles, Colin

Leonhardt (www.birdseyeviewpho-tography.com.au), Doug de Mark

Digital Development and Production

Jason Morrow, Pat Narciso, Josh Doolittle, Mike Nanus

407-406-5910 1 Purlieu Place, Suite 139

Winter Park, FL 32792growingboldermagazine.com

Group PublisherRandy Noles

Art DirectorLaura Bluhm

Senior Associate PublisherLorna Osborn

Associate PublisherKathy Byrd

Growing Bolder is a publication of

Florida Home Media LLC,

publishers of Orlando Life.

407-647-0225

2700 Westhall Lane, Suite 128

Maitland, FL 32751

orlando-life.com

By the time you read this, I’ll be trying to keep up with a group of

cancer survivors as we attempt to reach the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro

in Tanzania, Africa. I’ll be videotaping the 2014 Survivor Summit for a

60-minute documentary and special reports for Growing Bolder Magazine as

well as our TV and radio shows.

It’s no secret that we love sharing the stories of those who bravely battle in

the face of life’s most serious setbacks. Too many of us are overwhelmed and

back down when confronted with life-changing events. We all need role models

who show us what’s possible if only we dream, believe and persist.

John Gabriel, the well-known NBA executive who is now battling Parkinson’s

disease and is featured in this issue, is a perfect example. Gabe is sharing his

story with Growing Bolder Magazine readers in hopes of helping others with

Parkinson’s.

Mt. Kilimanjaro is, in many ways, the perfect metaphor for a major life strug-

gle. At � rst glance, it’s so far away, so huge, so foreboding and unattainable that

the thought of conquering it is overwhelming.

But slowly, step-by-step, with the support of one another and the guidance of

those who have been there before, we’ll press on. Eventually what once seemed

impossible will be within our reach. Will we all reach the summit?

The odds are against us. The summit rate on Kilimanjaro is only about 30

percent, 1,000 people a year need to evacuated and 10 people a year die on the

mountain.

But statistics won’t stop us from trying. Just as statistics don’t stop any

survivors from battling to beat the odds associated with their disease. As we

learn every day from those we feature in this magazine and on our TV and radio

shows, Growing Bolder is about the journey and not the destination. It’s simply

about giving yourself the chance, the opportunity to reach the summit.

It’s about taking the � rst step toward a better life — and then the second

and then the third. We know it won’t be easy, but

that’s what makes it so exhilarating. Nothing

ventured, nothing gained.

Marc Middleton, Editor-in-Chief

[email protected]

Editor-in-Chief

From the Editor

Nothing VenturedNothing Gained



Growing Bolder With...

Shannon Miller37Olympic Gold Medalist“Every cancer journey is

different, and not all of

them turn out as well as

mine did. I was very fortu-

nate that they caught mine

early. It’s really a matter

of living every day to the

fullest, because you just

never know what’s going to

happen. I don’t rush through life and get to the next

goal as much as I used to. Now I stop and smell the

roses. Yes, I want to be healthy and � t, but I take an

‘everything in moderation’ approach because, frankly,

life is too short to give up chocolate and pizza. It’s OK

to enjoy each and every day.”

At 33, Olympic gold medalist Shannon Miller was

diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Four years later, the

mother of two is cancer free and helps other women

focus on their health through her company, Shannon

Miller Lifestyle.

Richard Simmons65 Fitness Guru “Even though I’m a clown, my work is very seri-

ous. I’ve never lied to anybody. Over the years,

people have said, ‘It’s easy, it’s quick, drink this,

do this.’ You have to get to the point of, ‘Do I

want to live or do I want to die?’ It’s that serious.

A lot of people don’t like looking in the mirror,

but I think it needs to get to a point where you

look in the mirror and you thank God you’re alive

and that God gave you another day. Then you

need to make a list of people who love you. Each

day, you have to give yourself compliments in the

mirror. This is the process of � nding self-worth.

You have to forgive yourself

for gaining weight, and

you have to move

on and try to be

the best person

you can be. You

can’t waste a

day, a minute,

a moment. You

have to live your life.”

Nearly 40 years ago, Richard Simmons opened his

� rst weight-loss studio. He’s helped people drop an

estimated 12 million pounds. His new program,

Project H.O.P.E., focuses on exercise and nutrition.

Vicki Lawrence65 Comedian and Actress “My motto is, life is much too serious to be taken seriously. I think

you need to keep your sense of humor and laugh, otherwise you’ll

slit your wrists. And if you’re a mother like I am, you’re going to have

to clean up the mess. So it’s best to just keep laughing.”

Her career got its start in the most storybook way imaginable, and now, nearly four decades later, Vicki Law-

rence’s most well-known character may be needed now more than ever. She’s bringing “Mama” back to life

by spearheading the release of Mama’s Family on DVD for the � rst time. She’s also debuting a “two-woman”

stage show, Vicki Lawrence and Mama.

GB EXTRA Visit GrowingBolderMagazine.com to listen to our full conversations with Vicki Lawrence, Shannon Miller and Richard Simmons.

You have to forgive yourself

for gaining weight, and

you have to move

on and try to be

have to live your life.”

Mary Merrell Bailey, Esq. CPA MBA MSTaxation MSAccounting, is a partner with Your Caring Law Firm, a boutique law firm in Maitland offering probate, wills, trusts and guardianship services, as well as business succession, asset protection and estate planning. Merrell and her partner, Hallie Zobel, offer clients throughout the Central Florida region compassionate, sound legal counsel on very private family matters. Visit www.YourCaringLawFirm.com or call (407) 622-1900.

by Mary Merrell Bailey, Esq., Partner, Your Caring Law Firm

What Our Favorite Actors Teach Us about Protecting Our Minor Children

Gandolfini, age 51, died of a heart attack on vacation. He was divorced and remarried and had a child from each marriage. He reportedly left his 13-year-old son and eight-month-old daughter more than $7 million each that the children will control when they turn age 21.

Walker, age 40, died in a car accident at a charity event. He never married the mother of his child. TMZ reports that he left his 15-year-old daughter $25 million.

Hoffman, age 46, died of an apparent drug overdose at home. He was in a long-term relationship with the mother of his children, but never married her. He leaves three children, ages 10, 7, and 5, and an estate estimated at $35 million.

These actors were larger than life onscreen, and their wealth unimaginable. But their family situations sound pretty familiar, don’t they? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that more than 40% of children in the United States are born out of wedlock, so Walker’s and Hoffman’s situations are not unrealistic. And the U.S. Census Bureau claims that the median age that women become widowed is 59.4, so hearing of these actors’ deaths at such

“early” ages shouldn’t be as shocking as it is. The hard truth is that, to protect your minor children, you have to be prepared for the unexpected.

From an estate planning perspective, James Gandolfini’s estate plan was surprisingly unsophisticated. Because he had a will-based, as opposed to a trust-based, estate plan, the details of his plan are public record. Would you want the general public to know how much wealth your 13-year-old and eight-month-old children were inheriting if something happened to you? Wouldn’t you be concerned that your children could be targeted by financial predators if everyone knew that your children were in complete control of their inherited wealth at the raw age of 21? Wouldn’t you sleep better at night if you limited your young children’s unfettered access to significant amounts of money and put a structure in place to give them guidance and support by loved ones and professional advisors? It is puzzling why James Gandolfini did not appear to do this for his children.

Paul Walker had a trust-based estate plan. His pourover will is public record, but his trust document is not. Specifics about the terms of his daughter’s inheritance are unknown, because the details are located inside his trust document and the trust document is private. Financial sharks most likely will not be circling around Paul Walker’s daughter at a certain age. They do not know with certainty that she will have access to a lot of money without a lot of oversight, as they well might be watching the Gandolfini children when they turn age 21. Bravo, Paul Walker.

As a parent, you have to do a lot of things that you might not enjoy. Changing diapers. Listening to “The Wheels on the Bus” playing in the car over and over and over again. Staying awake until you hear your child return home from the football game after-party. But you do these things because you love your children. Planning your estate is another one of those things that you should do to help protect them in case of your untimely demise. None of these actors knew they would die young. Learn from them. Make an appointment to meet with a qualified estate planning attorney. You will be glad you did.

James Gandolfini, Paul Walker, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Other than acting, what do they have in common? Each died suddenly and left behind minor children to inherit their money.

DYING YOUNG:

YCLF_FebruaryAdvertorial_final.indd 1 2/7/14 3:26 PM

2GB_Mar14_GB With.indd 8 2/17/14 5:03:51 PM

Mary Merrell Bailey, Esq. CPA MBA MSTaxation MSAccounting, is a partner with Your Caring Law Firm, a boutique law firm in Maitland offering probate, wills, trusts and guardianship services, as well as business succession, asset protection and estate planning. Merrell and her partner, Hallie Zobel, offer clients throughout the Central Florida region compassionate, sound legal counsel on very private family matters. Visit www.YourCaringLawFirm.com or call (407) 622-1900.

by Mary Merrell Bailey, Esq., Partner, Your Caring Law Firm

What Our Favorite Actors Teach Us about Protecting Our Minor Children

Gandolfini, age 51, died of a heart attack on vacation. He was divorced and remarried and had a child from each marriage. He reportedly left his 13-year-old son and eight-month-old daughter more than $7 million each that the children will control when they turn age 21.

Walker, age 40, died in a car accident at a charity event. He never married the mother of his child. TMZ reports that he left his 15-year-old daughter $25 million.

Hoffman, age 46, died of an apparent drug overdose at home. He was in a long-term relationship with the mother of his children, but never married her. He leaves three children, ages 10, 7, and 5, and an estate estimated at $35 million.

These actors were larger than life onscreen, and their wealth unimaginable. But their family situations sound pretty familiar, don’t they? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that more than 40% of children in the United States are born out of wedlock, so Walker’s and Hoffman’s situations are not unrealistic. And the U.S. Census Bureau claims that the median age that women become widowed is 59.4, so hearing of these actors’ deaths at such

“early” ages shouldn’t be as shocking as it is. The hard truth is that, to protect your minor children, you have to be prepared for the unexpected.

From an estate planning perspective, James Gandolfini’s estate plan was surprisingly unsophisticated. Because he had a will-based, as opposed to a trust-based, estate plan, the details of his plan are public record. Would you want the general public to know how much wealth your 13-year-old and eight-month-old children were inheriting if something happened to you? Wouldn’t you be concerned that your children could be targeted by financial predators if everyone knew that your children were in complete control of their inherited wealth at the raw age of 21? Wouldn’t you sleep better at night if you limited your young children’s unfettered access to significant amounts of money and put a structure in place to give them guidance and support by loved ones and professional advisors? It is puzzling why James Gandolfini did not appear to do this for his children.

Paul Walker had a trust-based estate plan. His pourover will is public record, but his trust document is not. Specifics about the terms of his daughter’s inheritance are unknown, because the details are located inside his trust document and the trust document is private. Financial sharks most likely will not be circling around Paul Walker’s daughter at a certain age. They do not know with certainty that she will have access to a lot of money without a lot of oversight, as they well might be watching the Gandolfini children when they turn age 21. Bravo, Paul Walker.

As a parent, you have to do a lot of things that you might not enjoy. Changing diapers. Listening to “The Wheels on the Bus” playing in the car over and over and over again. Staying awake until you hear your child return home from the football game after-party. But you do these things because you love your children. Planning your estate is another one of those things that you should do to help protect them in case of your untimely demise. None of these actors knew they would die young. Learn from them. Make an appointment to meet with a qualified estate planning attorney. You will be glad you did.

James Gandolfini, Paul Walker, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Other than acting, what do they have in common? Each died suddenly and left behind minor children to inherit their money.

DYING YOUNG:

YCLF_FebruaryAdvertorial_final.indd 1 2/7/14 3:26 PM

2GB_Mar14_GB With.indd 9 2/17/14 12:20:01 PM


After a successful three-decade career with a ma-

jor accounting � rm, Gerald “Jerry” Hilbrich retired

and became the embodiment of his personal phi-

losophy: Those who make a good living are obligated to

give back their time, talent and treasure to make the com-

munity better for everyone.

Among his many leadership positions, Hillbrich is

the only person to have

chaired United Arts, the

United Way and the Com-

munity Foundation of

Central Florida.

He’s the current chair-

man of the board for the

Edyth Bush Charitable

Foundation, and he’s

transformed the business

practices of nearly every

organization he’s served,

resulting in enhanced

stability and increased

� nancial support.

“I don’t just live here,

this is my home,” Hilbrich

says. “I want Central Flor-

ida to be the best commu-

nity it can possibly be. If

there’s something I can

do to make it better, then

that’s what I’ll do.”

Hilbrich, who was re-

cently honored with the Association of Fundraising Pro-

fessionals Lifetime Achievement Award, says he wants to

dispel the myth that you need a lot of money to make a

big impact.

“Just get involved,” he says. “Find something that you’re

passionate about and that’s important to you and try and

get involved to make things better.”

Hilbrich says that in many ways, he gets more out of

volunteering than he gives.

“Volunteering has broadened my perspective and opened

my eyes,” he adds. “It’s shown me some aspects of the com-

munity that I didn’t really know existed. I was surprised,

and in some cases appalled, and said we need to do some-

thing to make things better.”

One of the many ways Hilbrich is making his community

better is through his work at the Edyth Bush Charitable

Foundation. Over the past 40 years, the foundation has

distributed more than $100 million to local nonpro� t or-

ganizations.

Since 2009, Hilbrich

says the organization

has focused its giving on

four key areas — cloth-

ing, housing and feeding

people and providing job

retraining.

“In early 2009, we were

inundated with requests

for basic human needs,

and we’re still operating

on that basis,” he notes.

“Obviously things have

improved since 2009,

but there are still a lot of

services that are needed

out in the community.”

In this day and age,

when money is tight and

people are starved for

leaders, our community

is lucky to have someone

like Jerry Hilbrich will-

ing to step up.

“You have to lead by example,” he states. “I always say,

‘Don’t do as I say, do as I do.’ Hopefully people will sit up

and take notice of that.” ■

Leading by Exampleby Jackie Carlin

Businessman Finds True Calling: Making a Difference.

Move Forward. Give Back.

GB EXTRAVisit GrowingBolderMagazine.com to learn more about the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation and to nominate someone making a difference in the community who you think we should feature in an upcoming Move Forward. Give Back.

Andrew Watt, president and CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Gerald “Jerry” Hilbrich, Peggy Hilbrich and David Oda-howski, president of the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation

9GB_Mar14_Move Forward Give Back.indd 10 2/17/14 12:25:43 PM

9GB_Mar14_Move Forward Give Back.indd 11 2/17/14 12:25:55 PM

MA

GIC

M

AG

IC

AC

TM

AG

IC

MA

GIC

ONE ONE MOREMORE

5GB_Mar14_Feature.indd 12 2/17/14 12:26:54 PM

As the quivers and tremors became more pronounced, Gabriel knew some-

thing was wrong and hoped it wasn’t Parkinson’s disease.

“It’s probably one of the few times you wish something bad on yourself,” he

says. “You’ve heard about Parkinson’s and you say, ‘God, give me a small tumor

somewhere. I’ll take it so that at the end of the day it’s something that can be

taken care of with an operation.’”

Gabriel and his wife Dorothy immediately set off across the country getting

second, third and fourth opinions from experts and specialists. It didn’t take

long to get a diagnosis: “Pretty much to a man they said I had PD.”

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder that destroys dopamine-pro-

ducing neurons in the brain, robbing those who are af� icted of the ability to

control normal movement. More than 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year,

adding to the more than 1 million who are already living with PD.

As Gabriel came to grips with his condition, he asked the dif� cult questions

that confront everyone with an incurable disease: “Will this take my life at some

point in time? Will I see my children grow up? Will I see my grandchildren?

Those are the � rst questions, the ones that really mean something. You don’t

ask, ‘How long can I still work?’ Everything falls into place. Everything falls

into perspective.”

For nearly two years, only Gabriel’s family and closest friends knew of his

diagnosis. As Director of Scouting for the New York Knicks, he was uncertain

how his colleagues in the NBA would react. So he did what nearly all newly

diagnosed PD patients do — he tried to hide the symptoms.

“If I had a board meeting and my knee was quivering and my foot was shak-

ohn Gabriel will never forget the moment in 2010 that would change the trajectory of his life forever. “Of all things, I was reading a Michael J. Fox piece in a magazine,” he re-

calls. “I noticed a quiver in my ring � nger. Eventually I got a little bit of movement in my foot.”

As the quivers and tremors became more pronounced, Gabriel knew some-

ohn Gabriel will never forget the moment in 2010 that would change the trajectory of his life forever. “Of all things, I was reading a Michael J. Fox piece in a magazine,” he re-

calls. “I noticed a quiver in my ring � nger. Eventually I got a little bit of movement in my foot.”

JStrengthened by Family and Close

Friends, John Gabriel Battles Parkinson’s and

Takes the Fight to Central Florida.

by Marc Middleton

GROWINGBOLDERMAGAZINE.COM GROWING BOLDER 13


ing, I made sure I got in early and made sure my legs were

under the desk,” he recalls. “Sometimes I’d sit on my hands.

Early on, you try to mask it a little bit; you try to cover up

a little bit.”

Gabriel had no problems performing his job, but when

it was no longer possible to hide the symptoms of his dis-

ease, he called a meeting of the Knicks staff and asked them

for “one big favor — would you continue to treat me like

you always have? Everything else is � ne. I may be a little

slower and shake a little bit but above the shoulders, I’m

still the same guy.”

He’s still the same guy who earned a reputation as one

of the sharpest minds in all of basketball. Gabe, as he’s

known to his friends, ran a one-man landscaping busi-

ness in 1982 when he talked his way into a job with the

Philadelphia 76ers, quickly proving himself invaluable to

General Manager Pat Williams.

When Williams moved to Orlando to bring an NBA ex-

pansion team to Central Florida, Gabriel was his very � rst

hire in 1987.

“John’s presence was invaluable,“ Williams recalls.

“Helping with the season ticket efforts, hiring a head

coach, getting a scouting operation set up — he was in

the middle of everything.”

As he did in Philadelphia, Gabriel rose quickly in Or-

lando, eventually replacing Williams as general manager

when his mentor was promoted to vice president. In one

15-month period, Gabriel made 57 player transactions,

clearing salary cap space and masterfully creating a path

for the Magic’s return to greatness after Shaquille O’Neal

left for Los Angeles.

In 1999, Gabriel gave Doc Rivers his � rst head coaching

job, cobbled together a heart-and-hustle team of no-name

players that thrilled the fans and nearly made the playoffs.

He was named NBA Executive of Year.

But the NBA is a “what have you done for me lately” busi-

ness, and when the Magic endured a long losing streak in

2003, Gabriel was out — moving on to the Portland Trail-

blazers and then the Knicks.

He’s been in the NBA for more than 30 years and under-

stands the game like very few.

“Hopefully I can stay in the league and continue do-

ing what I do,” he says. “But if not, I’m not afraid to turn

the page and start a new chapter and get into something

else.”

No matter what he does professionally, Gabriel will lend

his many talents to raising awareness about Parkinson’s.

“Once you accept the diagnosis, you move on looking for

In 1999, Gabriel gave Doc Rivers (far right) his fi rst head coach-ing job. Pictured here signing rookies Ryan Humphrey and Rashard Griffi th in 2002, the two built a “heart-and-hustle” team that thrilled fans and nearly made the playoffs in the wake of losing superstar center Shaquille O’Neal.

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answers. What do I do next? What’s the next step? What’s

happening that may help my situation?”

Eventually, he began to consider what he could do to help

others and to eventually � nd a cure. Toward that end, he’s

joined the board of the National Parkinson’s Association

of Central Florida, and is spearheading the promotional

efforts for Movement Day on April 5.

On Movement Day, everyone is invited to Cranes Roost in

Altamonte Springs, where you can walk a mile or run three

times around the lake. You can also take part in tai chi, yoga

or any other kind of dance in other to raise funds

and awareness for Parkinson’s disease.

Gabriel has also become actively involved with

the University of Florida Center for Movement

Disorders, where he’s a patient and an advo-

cate.

“They have some of the � nest doctors in the world there,”

he says. “They’ve proven to be very, very successful in re-

ducing the tremors and the effects of Parkinson’s.”

This is not Gabriel’s � rst major health scare. He survived

a private battle with prostate cancer while still with the

Magic, and in 2004 he was working in his backyard when

he was stung repeatedly on his arm by wasps.

No one was home so he staggered to the street, gasp-

ing for air and looking for help. He was picked up by a

stranger just moments before passing out and woke up

in a hospital two and a half days later after nearly dying

from anaphylactic shock.

Gabriel knows there are challenges ahead, but with the

help and support of his family and friends he remains

characteristically optimistic.

“All in all, there’s not time to be down about things,” he

notes. “I’ve got a lot to look forward to in my life. I have a

beautiful family that I love very much, and I look forward to

making the most of each and every day. I still work out. I still

run. I play football with my son. I hang out with the girls.”

Gabriel doesn’t know exactly what tomorrow will bring,

but says he’s not yet run out of magic — and is committed

to making a difference for those who are currently battling

and those yet to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

“Twenty-� ve years ago, at a delicatessen in Orlando, I

helped Pat Williams create magic and bring it here to Cen-

tral Florida,” he says.

John Gabriel is ready to bring magic to Central Florida

one more time. ■

GB EXTRAVisit GrowingBolderMagazine.com to watch our interview with John Gabriel and to learn more about the National Parkinson Foundation’s Mov-ing Day, which will feature events in Central Florida and across the nation.

Gabriel and his family, including wife Dorothy as well as son Jack, a freshman at Lake Highland Prep, and daughters Meredith, a senior at lake High-land Prep, and Amelia, a junior at the University of Florida.

Parkinson’s 101In the majority of Parkinson’s cases, symptoms

start to appear after the age of 50. However, in about 4 to 5 percent of cases, the sufferer is young-er than 40. When signs and symptoms develop in an individual between 21 and 40, it’s known as “young-onset Parkinson’s disease.”

Despite decades of intensive study, the causes of Parkinson’s remain unknown. In some people, genetic factors may play a role; in others, illness, an environmental toxin or other event may con-tribute to PD. Aging is an important risk factor; there is a 2 to 4 percent risk for Parkinson’s among people over age 60, compared with a 1 to 2 per-cent risk in the general population.

PD progresses slowly, and while the disease it-self is not fatal, complications from it are the 14th leading cause of death in the United States. There is no cure for Parkinson’s, but there is great hope as scientists and researchers are making great progress in identifying new treatment options that improve the quality of life for those with PD.

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5Questions

Your adventure-seeking life famously began when you

wrote your own obituary at the age of 36, and didn’t

like what you saw. It’s been 10 years since you did that

exercise, and as we know, you’ve been on some incred-

ible adventures since then. How would you rate your

obituary now?

The 10 years since then have really made me believe in the

power of visualization. When I wrote that fantasy obitu-

ary 10 years ago, it was so far removed from where I was

then, I couldn’t even begin to see how I would bridge the

gap. And yet, oddly, it felt incredibly authentic to me. So

somehow, little by little, my actual life has aligned itself

with the fantasy version.

■ ■ ■

Your book, Stop Drifting, Start Rowing, is about having

big dreams and making them happen at any age. What’s

the difference between those who are actually success-

ful at reinventing themselves and those who aren’t?

That’s a tough one. It would be easy to say that anyone can

reinvent themselves provided they have enough commit-

ment — plus determination, dedication and discipline. But

I don’t want to sound harsh on those who haven’t been able

to ful� ll their dreams for reasons beyond their control —

family reasons, illness, injury or whatever. The important

thing is to differentiate between reasons and excuses. It’s

not easy to follow your dreams. I had to give up my job,

by Jackie Carlin

World-Record Holder Finds Purpose on the High Seas.

5 Questions

Roz Savage was a management consultant living an uninspired life. As an exercise, one day she wrote two versions of her own obituary — the one she wanted and the one she was heading for. After pondering the dueling accounts of her life, she made a huge change. She quit her job and be-gan to row across the ocean. She has now set four Guinness World Records for rowing, in the process becoming the � rst woman to row solo across the Atlantic, Paci� c and Indian oceans. She’s also become one of the world’s top environmen-tal advocates, a motivational speaker and an author. Her new book is called Stop Drifting, Start Rowing.

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growingbolderMAgAZine.coM growing bolder 17

income, relationship and home to follow mine. The impor-

tant thing is to know you have choices — probably more

choices than you realize.

n n n

You’ve rowed more than 15,000 miles and spent 500 days

alone in the open sea. Was there an a-ha moment — a

takeaway about the meaning of you life?

There have certainly been lots of a-ha moments, but I’d

say they were really revelations about how to regulate my

thoughts, emotions and responses more than about the

meaning of life. I feel really fortunate to have had the op-

portunity to spend that much time alone at sea to learn

how to deal with my demons. As to the meaning of life, I

don’t think it’s something you find, on an ocean or oth-

erwise. I think it’s something you create for yourself, ac-

cording to your own values and priorities. My personal

meaning of life is to be happy, and feel that I’m leaving the

world a slightly better place than I found it.

n n n

You say that happiness and meaning are accessible to

anyone at any time, and that we all don’t have to row

15,000 miles achieve it. What’s your No. 1 piece of advice

to someone wanting to find happiness?

I’m always a bit wary of giving advice, being terribly bad

at taking advice myself, but here goes. For too long, I tried

to find happiness by reference to other people, and what

I thought would make them happy. I think this might be

a largely, but not exclusively, female phenomenon. So I

paid too much attention to what I thought would please

my parents, schoolteachers, boyfriend, husband, friends,

bosses and colleagues. Eventually I had to take a step back

and ask myself: What would make me feel I had lived a

good life? That led to the obituary exercise. So I guess the

advice is: make sure you’re living life according to your

own definition of success. Trying to always please others

will lead you down all kinds of wrong paths.

n n n

Tell us how you’ve seen the environmental movement

change over the past 10 years. What do you think is the

biggest current threat facing our world? What are the

most encouraging changes you’ve seen?

Over the last 10 years, my perception is that the environ-

mental movement has started to realize that its messag-

ing needs to be more sophisticated and more attractive.

Throwing science or dogma at people hasn’t produced the

desired result, and in fact it’s turned a lot of people off.

When you look at the world of advertising, it has some re-

ally interesting lessons to offer about how to create deep

cultural change and to make us want things we didn’t know

we wanted. The biggest threat facing our world is, without

a doubt, humans. Too many of us are consuming too much,

while billions go short. We need to focus on creating a qual-

ity of life — which is not the same as a standard of living

— for all people, while still allowing room for the other

species that share our planet. It’s all very do-able, but will

require some intelligent long-term planning. We are sup-

posed to be an intelligent species — we can do this. n

Roz Savage says the time she spent at sea gave her the op-portunity “to learn how to deal with my demons.” Savage, the first woman to row solo across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, has spent more than 500 days aboard a small boat, traversing some 15,000 miles.

gb eXTrA Want to learn more about Roz’s adventures? Visit GrowingBolderMagazine.com to watch our recent Skype conversation with her and to see more photos from her solo rows across the world’s oceans.

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4GB_Mar13_5 Questions.indd 17 2/17/14 12:57:25 PM


Behind the Scenes

Olympic champ and sports commentator Rowdy Gaines is fl anked by Growing Bolder hosts Marc Middleton and Bill Shafer.

Bolder Sundays

The fun begins in Central Florida Sunday mornings on

WKMG Local 6. Two episodes of Growing Bolder air back-

to-back, beginning at 5 a.m.

At 7 a.m., tune in to 90.7 WMFE-FM, either on your radio or

live online at wmfe.org, for new episodes of the Growing Bold-

er Radio Show, our 60-minute weekly interview program.

It features in-depth conversations with some of the

world’s most fascinating authors, health experts, celebri-

ties and record-breaking masters athletes.

And there’s a new home for all-new episodes of Growing

Start Your Week Right With GB TV and Radio! By Jackie Carlin

See Yourself Growing BolderWant to see yourself in Growing Bolder Magazine? Send us a photo of you doing your thing and a short descrip-

tion of how you’re Growing Bolder. Send it and your contact information to [email protected]

or send c/o Growing Bolder Magazine, One Purlieu Place, Suite 139, Winter Park, FL 32792. You can also post your

photos and comments on our Facebook page: facebook.com/growingbolder.

Growing Bolder is getting bigger and bolder in 2014 — and we want you to come along for the ride. On these

pages you’ll � nd updates on some of our projects, and learn how we’re � nding new ways to spread our message

of hope, inspiration and possibility to more people than ever. We wouldn’t be here without your support. Thank

you for being a crucial member of Team GB. The best is yet to come!

Surviving & Thriving in 2014In its � rst season, Surviving & Thriving, our show dedicated

to shining a spotlight on those who’ve overcome tremendous

obstacles to come out stronger than ever, generated a lot of

attention and even earned an Emmy nomination.

This year, it’s going to

be bigger and better than

ever.

We’re proud to announce

a new long-term partner-

ship with Florida Hospital

to tell the stories of those who are surviving life’s toughest

struggles and inspiring the rest of us in the process.

The one-hour specials will air once a quarter on WKMG

Local 6, and will be hosted by two-time cancer survivor

Wendy Choiji. Stay tuned for more details and to learn how

your stories could inspire others.

Bolder. It’s RLTV, the only cable network for adults 50-plus.

You can catch premiere episodes of Growing Bolder on Sun-

days at 11 a.m. and Monday through Thursday at 3 p.m.

The network recently began airing on AT&T U-verse,

joining several other major cable providers who distrib-

ute RLTV programming. Visit rl.tv to check local listings

to � nd RLTV in your area.

8GB_Mar14_Behind the Scenes.indd 18 2/17/14 5:04:16 PM

growingbolder.com growing bolder 19

Smash StereotypesWhat does 65 look like to you? Maybe it’s time you

turned your thinking upside down. Constance Whis-

ton of Kansas submitted this fun playground picture

to our Facebook page, saying this is what 65 looks like

on her — thanks to her dedication to Les Mills group

exercise classes.

Constance shared this piece of advice: “Exercise

beyond what you think you can do, leave white food

alone and cultivate optimism. Have lots of friends and

serve. That will keep you around for a long time.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Her pic-

ture inspired others to send us their pictures, too, in-

cluding George Bussey, who told us this biking photo

is from last summer in Colorado, before he moved

back to Hawaii.

“My plans for 65 are to bike up Haleakala (10,000

vertical feet and 35 miles), and then attack Mauna Kea,

at 13,990 vertical feet and about 47 miles,” he wrote.

George isn’t the only one who’s redefining his 60s.

“Sixty-five feels great to me. I’m still doing triathlons.

I love the multisports for a good workout,” writes Vi-

nette Tichi of Seattle, Wa.

We also heard from a 62-year-old Harley rider and

a 71-year-old headstander. All of these examples of

what’s possible are having a real impact on our other

Facebook users.

“I’m inspired by the comments. I am only 58 and feel

like crap. You all give me hope,” one fan told us.

How are you redefining aging? Email us at gbmag-

[email protected] or submit a picture

on our Facebook page (facebook.com/growingbolder)

and we might feature your story on an upcoming epi-

sode of Growing Bolder.

Constance Whiston

George Bussey

Vinette Tichi

8GB_Mar14_Behind the Scenes.indd 19 2/17/14 12:37:25 PM


Ilove success stories — and the more unusual, the

better. It’s long been maintained that what’s needed

to jump-start our economy is more garages. After all,

it was in the proverbial garage that some of our greatest

inventions and most successful companies were born.

It all began in 1896 when Henry Ford started experi-

ments with a gasoline engine in the kitchen. Needing more

room to work, one of his neighbors let Henry use a nearby

shed. And that’s where the horseless carriage was born.

When young Walt Disney moved to Hollywood back in

1923, guess where he created the � rst cartoons featuring

Mickey and Minnie? In his uncle’s garage, of course.

In the 1920s, in a former gas station and garage in Mon-

roe, La., a man by the name of Charlie Woolman began

an aerial crop-dusting venture, buzzing cotton � elds and

battling the boll weevil. His interests eventually shifted to

ferrying mail and passengers. And from that garage, Delta

Airlines was formed.

In 1940 Ruth and Elliot Handler rented a garage to make

giftware from a new wonder plastic called Lucite. Also in

that garage, Ruth dreamed up the Barbie doll and Mattel,

the iconic toy company, had its genesis.

So next time you’ve got a hot idea you’d like to explore,

I suggest you start your operation in the garage. You’ll

certainly be in good company. ■

Key Howard is an award-winning actor, producer, director

and musician who has appeared in movies, on TV and on

stage in Las Vegas, where he worked with Bob Hope, Nat

King Cole and Dinah Shore. He also spent several years as

the musical conductor for comedian Don Rickles. Key now

draws upon his rich and colorful career in a series of vi-

gnettes called “Ain’t Life Grand” for Growing Bolder TV and

the Growing Bolder Radio Show. Like Paul Harvey, Key uses

fact and � ction to entertain audiences with tales that re-

� ect humor, family, personal responsibility and integrity.

Garage Bandsby Key Howard

Want to Start a Successful Business? Hit the Garage!

Ain’t Life Grand

GB EXTRAWant to see more “Ain’t Life Grand” moments? Visit GrowingBolderMagazine.com to watch Key’s seg-ments for Growing Bolder TV and to listen to his Growing Bolder Radio Show reports.

11GB_Mar14_Life is Grand.indd 20 2/17/14 5:04:53 PM

11GB_Mar14_Life is Grand.indd 21 2/17/14 12:38:17 PM


If you think not being able to read music or play

a single note should keep you from becoming a

Grammy, Emmy, Tony and Webby award-winning

songwriter, then you need to meet Allee Willis. Allee

is famous for writing the theme song for the sitcom

Friends as well as September and Boogie Wonderland

for Earth, Wind & Fire. She also wrote Neutron Dance

for the Pointer Sisters and the Broadway musical version

of The Color Purple.

In fact, Allee’s songs have sold more than 50 million re-

cords.

She’s also a painter, a set designer, a writer and an award-

winning � lmmaker. Her latest project is a love song to her

hometown of Detroit, a Motor City sing-along called “The D.”

“The song was written so every single Detroiter who

wanted to be on the record could be on the record,” she

says. “It’s the � rst record in history where the original

artist is thousands and thousands of people.”

With a crew of 15, Allee visited more than 50 locations

and let people do their thing. School choirs and theatre

groups sang and the Detroit Bass Players and Metro De-

troit Area Guitar Players wailed away, giving the music a

“big bottom sound” that rattled the walls.

Some spun hubcaps while others breathed � re. And Allee

even found herself dancing with dogs. “Whatever your tal-

ent is, if you wanted to exhibit it, this was the time.”

Some famous Motowners even joined in on the project.

Among them: Martha Reeves, Mary Wilson and Lamont

Dozer, part of the famous Motown songwriting trio Hol-

land-Dozier-Holland that wrote hits for The Supremes,

The Four Tops, The Isley Brothers and many others.

When she was � nished, Allee had 4,000 separate vocal

and instrument tracks and more than 2,000 hours of foot-

age. Now comes the tricky part — she’s in the process of

Motor City MelodyBy Jackie Carlin

Songwriter Hopes “The D” Renews Detroit’s Spirit.

Bolder Arts

Allee Willis, whose songs have sold more than 50 million records, recruited famous friends and thousands of everyday Detroiters to participate in her music and video project.

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turning “The D” into a song, a music video and a feature-

length documentary.

Allee, 65, says she’s been waiting her whole life for a

project like this.

“I never got to do what it is that I think I’m best at do-

ing,” she says. “I’ve had achievements in a lot of separate

fields, but I always, from the very beginning, saw myself as

a multimedia artist in the true sense of the word.”

She’d been looking for a “big idea” that allowed her to

combine all her talents.

“It’s always been a bit frustrating for me,” says Allee.

“But I just kept pushing until someone gave me a chance to

finally do it on the scale that I know I’m capable of doing

it. And I guess that’s what this Detroit project was.”

Allee had grown tired of what she considered to be the

“excessively undeserved” bad rap with which her home-

town had been saddled. Plus, she adds, she saw a lot

of similarities between her own life story and that of

Detroit.

Says Allee: “I think it’s potentially a model city for this cen-

tury, the same way it was for the last, because it’s really dealing

with the realities of what happens when you lose everything.

And as a self-funded artist, I know what that’s like.”

She’s already witnessed “The D” project bringing a re-

newed sense of pride to Detroiters. And she hopes it tells

the real story of the Motor City to the outside world.

“Whenever I would go home, I wouldn’t see this city that

everyone else was seeing falling apart,” Allee says. “You

have to really drive in Detroit to find those buildings with

those blown-out windows. Otherwise, it’s gorgeous and

it’s filled with the most soulful people in the world who

just don’t give up.”

This isn’t Allee’s first time experimenting with a massive

collaboration.

“I started developing a social network on the Internet in

1992, which was excessively early for something like that,”

she notes. “I was always interested in, ‘What’s a song if a tril-

lion people are collaborating on it, not just two?’ With Detroit,

it’s almost like I’ve got that collaboration with a live city.”

Allee is living proof that the only person putting limits on

your potential is yourself.

“I don’t know how to read, write or play music,” she says. “I

don’t really know how to do anything I do. I just always want

to do it so bad I would figure out some way to do it. Luckily

enough, I was able to knock a few of them out of the park, so

Mumford High School in northwest Detroit was one of many locations where throngs gathered to sing along to “The D,” a song celebrating the Motor City. Proceeds from the song, video and documentary will benefit local arts organizations.



I got a reputation for doing things in an unorthodox way.”

Allee is currently looking for sponsors in the Detroit area

to help her � nish “The D.” To date, it’s been produced on

virtually no budget. Any money raised after the documen-

tary is complete will go back to the City of Detroit to help

support two arts charities.

She says efforts are also underway to make “The D” the

of� cial theme song of Detroit.

“After all,” she says, “nothing raises spirits like a good

song.” ■

Bolder Arts

GB EXTRAVisit GrowingBolderMagazine.com to see all the behind-the-scenes pictures from “The D” sing-alongs and to watch a sneak preview of the documentary. Plus, � nd out how you can help support Allee’s project and the two arts charities that will be the bene� ciaries.

Lily Tomlin, Martha Reeves and Mary Wilson were among the celebrities helping to bring Willis’s “big idea” to life. She hopes “The D” will be adopted as the offi cial song of Detroit.



It happens far too often. A healthy, active, mobile

adult comes into my of� ce clutching a spine MRI that

shows terrible narrowing or disc problems that may

have been present for decades.

And yet, the patient is convinced that the situation is

urgent and that spinal surgery will be required.

In the absence of a speci� c injury, I typically discover

that he or she has recently done something uncharacter-

istic, such as a home improvement project or some spring

cleaning. That activity has caused the pain.

As I navigate treatment options, the most important

thing that I look for is a major neurological symptom such

as weakness, profound numbness or bowel and bladder

changes. Most have none of these; just nerve pain, numb-

ness or tingling — with or without back pain.

In most cases, I discover a narrowing that’s causing the

nerve to be in� amed. The MRI often will show this stenosis,

or narrowing, but what isn’t as obvious is that the “angry”

nerve may also be swollen, which further compounds the

longstanding narrowing.

Treatment is easy in most cases. The goal is to maximize

nerve healing and reduce nerve swelling. Anti-in� ammato-

ries reduce swelling, and avoiding activities that vertically

collapse disc space prevents mechanical reinjury of the

nerve at the tight spot.

Muscle relaxants, massage and therapy treatments give

the nerve a little more room by reducing the muscular

spasms that aggravate disc-space collapse. Steroids by

mouth, epidural or spinal injection can also help reduce

the swelling within the nerve. Chiropractic treatment can

improve mobility in many cases.

Rest needs to be reinterpreted. Activities that trigger nerve

pain should be avoided, but the body needs to keep moving

to avoid stiffness, weakness, postural compensation and

progressive loss of fundamental, preventative strength.

I strongly encourage low-impact cardio exercise that

doesn’t stimulate or activate nerve pain. There’s no one per-

fect exercise, but water-related activity, recumbent bikes,

stair climber machines and elliptical trainers often allow

for aerobic exercise even with a pinched “angry” nerve.

In extreme cases, when the pain is relentless and conser-

vative treatment and rest don’t help, surgery may be neces-

sary. One thing is certain — losing strength and physical

conditioning long-term guarantees that the spine condi-

tion will progress.

In short: To help alleviate nerve pain, avoid activity that

makes the pain worse. But don’t avoid activity altogether.

During the recovery process, movement matters. ■

Movement MattersBy Robert L. Masson, M.D.

Low-Impact Cardio May Keep “Angry” Nerves Quiet.

Road to Recovery

Robert L. Masson, M.D., is an internationally recognized neu-rosurgeon specializing in spinal injury and sports spine medi-cine. He also is the founder of the NeuroSpine Institute, rec-ognized as a global referral cen-ter for complex minimally inva-sive spine reconstruction. He is an international consultant for minimally invasive neurosurgery and one of the world’s leading advocates for athletic spinal in-jury being recognized as a re-coverable sports injury.

12GB_Mar14_Road Recovery.indd 25 2/17/14 1:08:00 PM


Of the many things Sandy Scott has done in his

life, he has never built a brick wall. The knowl-

edge might have come in handy. His whole life

has been about breaking through them. He’s just about to

break through another.

Sandy is one of the fastest 74-year-old cyclists in the

world. After wiping out and breaking his neck in his � rst

race eight years ago, he’s

won nearly every event he’s

entered and set numerous

all-time records — often

� nishing with the fastest

time of all age groups.

He’s riding faster now

than he did when he was in

his 60s. Which is why it was

such a surprise when he an-

nounced this month that he

wouldn’t race again.

But if you know Sandy,

it’s really no surprise at all.

“I � nd it boring that I know

when I show up that I’m go-

ing to win.” he says.

The challenge was gone

— and Sandy thrives on

challenge. He has all his

life. As a young police of� -

cer, he applied for the much

more dangerous motorcycle

patrol.

When he took up skydiv-

ing, he insisted on only non-tethered, non-tandem jumps.

“Danger actually attracts me,” he says. “It makes me feel

even more alive.”

The danger doesn’t have to be physical. For years Sandy

was driven by � nancial danger.

“I was incredibly irresponsible in saving for retirement,”

he says. “So I taught myself stock trading, spending all day

in front of three screens from morning to night. To this day,

I manage three trading accounts and beat the hell out of

my one ‘professionally’ managed account.”

Sandy admits that he’s “incredibly competitive — I de-

mand of myself to not just be the best that I can be at

something. I will work at it until I can be the best at that

endeavor, period.”

His competitive hunger has kept him jumping from one

challenge to the next. He’s been a chess champion, an

airline pilot, a software designer, an author, a pitchman

and has tried nearly every

hobby imaginable. Now, at

74, he’s ready to try some-

thing new.

“Currently, I have im-

mersed myself in photog-

raphy and I am about to

enter a very large contest

sponsored by Canon,” he

says. “My entry is being

reviewed by a jury and I’ve

been told by three different

pros that the shot I sent is

the best they’ve ever seen.

To me, that’s life — a brand

new adventure. ”

And that’s not all. He also

has his sights set on a new

physical challenge. Lanky

at 5-foot-11 and weigh-

ing 155 pounds, Sandy is

considering competing in

weightlifting.

“I think it would be an

interesting challenge try

to win a state championship at such an unlikely activity

for my natural talents,” he says.

To keep himself motivated, Sandy is even blogging about

“Challenge Yourself”by Bill Shafer

He Wants to be the Best — and He Usually Is.

Masters Sports

GB EXTRA Want to see how fast Sandy really does ride? Head to GrowingBolderMagazine.com to watch videos of Sandy in action and to read his blog, sandy-

scott.growingbolder.com.

Sandy Scott is always looking for a new adventure — and strives to excel at everything he tries.

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Having mastered every athletic endeavor he’s tried, Scott has turned his attention to photography. Direct Eye Contact With a Cormorant (left) was chosen as the editor’s favorite recently by Outdoor Photography magazine, and is entered in an inter-national juried art show. Portrait of a Great Blue Heron (above) is entered in a photo contest sponsored by St. Petersburg’s Boyd Hill Nature Preserve.

his weightlifting training at sandyscott.growingbolder.

com.

But what if he fails? What if he hurts himself? What if

he doesn’t like it? Sandy says it’s important to have “what

ifs” in your life, as long as you turn them around:

“Just flip them over, because to me, a ‘what if’ is, what if

I win another championship?’ What if I set a new record?

What if I meet a whole new group of great friends? Don’t

use your ‘what ifs’ to limit yourself. Turn them around to

challenge yourself.” n

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Google the word “sugar” and more than 147 mil-

lion results pop up. You’ll � nd plenty of informa-

tion, but much of it is just plain wrong. Let’s bust

some myths on sugar.

Sucrose (white sugar), high fructose corn syrup (HFCS),

fruit juice concentrate and agave syrup are very similar in

their processing methods.

Once these sugars are absorbed in the

body and reach the bloodstream, they all

look alike — fructose and glucose molecules.

They deliver the same sugars, to the same

body tissues, within the same time frame.

When someone tells you that sugar is

different from HFCS, which is different

from agave syrup, this is a myth. To the

body, sugar is sugar. Agave syrup is not

healthier than sugar, fruit juice concen-

trate or HFCS.

Another myth blames sugar as the cause

of obesity. Numbers from the Economic Re-

search Service show that we consume 458

more calories per day now than in 1970.

These calories come from added fats, grains and cereals,

and added sugars.

The total calories from added sugars, however, have

dropped from 18 percent to 14 percent. No one food in-

gredient is to blame for weight gain and obesity. In fact,

obesity is a calorie/exercise imbalance. Portion distortion

has resulted in serving sizes that border on obscene.

Did you know that one-third of cancer deaths each year

are linked to diet and physical activity, including being

overweight or obese? Obesity increases the risk of many

types of cancer.

A very popular myth is that sugar increases cancer risk

and actually fuels cancer cells. Sugar can increase calorie

intake, resulting in weight gain. Therefore, sugar may be

associated with cancer risk for that reason.

Plus, added sugars provide zero nutri-

ents that could lower cancer risk. Cutting

back on foods such as cakes, candy, sweet-

ened cereals and sugar-sweetened drinks

can help reduce calories, reduce obesity

and leave room for foods packed with nu-

tritional value.

Obesity — not sugar — is the issue.

Research is looking at the connection

between body weight and the effect on

hormonal and in� ammatory factors tied

to cancer. So, next time you read hyped

information about sugar, weight and can-

cer, remember:

■ Sugar, fruit juice concentrate, agave syr-

up and HFCS are nutritionally equivalent.

■ To the body, sugar is sugar. Which added sugar you

use is a personal choice.

■ Total calories consumed determine weight. Obesity

is tied to disease such as cancer.

■ It’s diet and lifestyle over time that in� uences weight

and health status.

■ Substituting healthy, nutrition-packed foods for nutri-

tionally vacant foods can both cut calories and decrease

cancer risk. ■

Busting Sugar Mythsby Susan Mitchell, PhD, RD, FAND

It’s Obesity, Not the Sweet Stuff, That’s the Real Issue.

Covering the health topics that impact your daily life, registered dietitian nu-tritionist Dr. Susan Mitchell communicates health messages thru digital and traditional media. Listen to her weekly radio segment every Monday at 7:40 a.m. on Orlando’s 102.5 WLOQ and iHeartRadio. She writes the blog “How Big is Your BUT?” and “BUT Busters: No Excuse Tips to Eat Smart-Live Smart.” From interviews with national talk radio personalities like Sean Hannity and consumer warrior Clark Howard, Mitchell is known for her smart, sassy straight talk about nutrition, food and fi tness. susanmitchell.org.

Bolder Nutrition

GB EXTRAVisit GrowingBolderMa-gazine.com for links to Dr. Mitchell’s podcasts and her Pinterest page, which is full of healthy, easy-to-make and deli-cious recipes.

Dr. Susan Mitchell

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7GB_Mar14_Nutrition.indd 29 2/17/14 1:14:26 PM


It’s a song by Tower of Power. It should probably be

added as the eleventh commandment. Thou shalt funk

the dumb stuff!

So simple, yet this one little phrase can save relation-

ships, avert heartaches, smooth stresses and totally change

your outlook on life. Just think of all the “dumb stuff” we

don’t funk.

Wars have been started, marriages ended and friend-

ships � zzled from things as simple as having a bad day

and saying something you didn’t mean. Or by simply mis-

understanding what someone else has said.

To put it kindly, we are a culture of overreactors. We are

fastidious read-into experts. We think we know what oth-

ers are “really” saying even better than they do.

Good times can evaporate from our memories in an in-

stant; not-so-good times are etched there forever. Someone

can do a hundred nice things for us, but the second they

slip up with a snarky comment, a perceived slight or a

misunderstood oversight — it’s all over!

Just like in the fairy tale: someone can be nice enough

to give us a whole stack of mattresses, but if there’s a pea

under it, we’ll feel it. And we won’t like it!

Then, we’ll dwell. We’re excellent dwellers. We’ll take one

negative incident, crawl inside and live there. After dwell-

ing, we hunker down. Dig the foxhole. Build the wall.

No way I’m peeking over the top. Reach out? Not me,

I’ll show you! People have held grudges for years, family

members have been estranged for lifetimes. For what?

Life presents so many real challenges. We’ll all have un-

expected heartbreak and tragedies to deal with. It’s family

and friends that help us push through. We need all the love

and support we can acquire. Yet we’re so quick to chop a

whole tree down just because we didn’t like a leaf.

So, how do we know if it’s “dumb stuff” or legit? The

answer is, it’s all dumb stuff. We make it legit by over-

reacting to it.

So, avert the drama, save yourself a ton of stress and

stop letting others affect your outlook. Just think of those

four little words.

Funk the dumb stuff. ■

“Funk the Dumb Stuff”by Bill Shafer

That’s My Motto for Solving Life’s Problems.

The Takeaway

GB EXTRA Want to learn more about Bill Shafer’s life mottos?

Check out his new blog, bill.growingbolder.com.

Download the new Healthy 100 Habits app from Florida Hospital, and choose from more than 100+ habits that will keep you living to a Healthy 100.

This app doesn’t just help you lose weight or eat better. Healthy goals could also include spending more time with family, setting aside time for spiritual renewal and making sure you get a full night’s rest.

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59

Turn your healthy choices into healthy habits.

Which healthy habit will you create?

FREE for iPhone™ or Android™ devices

H100-13-11459_GrowingBolderMag-Nov/Dec.indd 1 10/1/13 1:38 PM

10GB_Mar14_Takeaway.indd 30 2/17/14 2:25:33 PM

The Takeaway

Download the new Healthy 100 Habits app from Florida Hospital, and choose from more than 100+ habits that will keep you living to a Healthy 100.

This app doesn’t just help you lose weight or eat better. Healthy goals could also include spending more time with family, setting aside time for spiritual renewal and making sure you get a full night’s rest.

H10

0-13

-114

59

Turn your healthy choices into healthy habits.

Which healthy habit will you create?

FREE for iPhone™ or Android™ devices

H100-13-11459_GrowingBolderMag-Nov/Dec.indd 1 10/1/13 1:38 PM


Growing Bolder 2014

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Transcript of Growing Bolder 2014