My family is blessed with many things, including my wife Hadley, my daughter Sarah, and our extended family and friends. These are the gifts of life for which I am thankful and appreciate each day. For without these people in my life and these relationships and faith, life would be empty, but it is not, it is full and wonderful.

When Hadley was struggling with the initial signs of Parkinson’s disease it was initially heartbreaking and difficult to accept that there was something happening to her at this time when our young family was just starting. But heartbreak and struggle turned quickly to commitment and a new attitude to apply to accepting the circumstances and to find what was causing Hadley’s changes.

Receiving the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease was actually a relief for me because we finally learned what was causing the changes in Hadley and because she could now be treated. To me, her diagnosis is not a death sentence, but a new beginning to our shared lives. This new lens through which we view life has refocused me and our family on those things that are most important in life….living each day, doing the best we can, being thankful for our lives and each other, and celebrating life.