Football season is here and my excitement for the game has grown since my son, Jaydon, started playing. I’m proud of him and all my kids – I’m the proud dad of five college graduates, with another graduating next year. And my two youngest sons (we call them “the littles”) are already tearing it up in football, baseball, and soccer. This summer I took the littles to see their older brother practice. I don’t have the words to describe how much joy I felt that day.
Most of my kids were in grade school when I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Some of them don’t know or can’t remember a time when I wasn’t living with the disease. For many years I was worried about how Parkinson’s would affect my ability to be a father, especially when I was dealing with my own mental health struggles. I didn’t want Parkinson’s to negatively impact my kids, but I also didn’t want to hide it from them. So, I was open and honest about how I was doing and made sure to involve them in the Parkinson’s community from the very beginning. And as it turns out, they have become intelligent, compassionate people who want to do what they can to help others.
My kids are the greatest joy of my life and my purpose. When this disease gets me down, I remind myself that I’m raising amazing kids and that I get to be a part of their incredible lives. We share a purpose in the Brian Grant Foundation, and we’re grateful that you’re a part of it with us.
Power forward,
Brian
Brought to you by AbbVie, Amneal, CND Life Sciences, Providence Brain and Spine Institute, and StrivePD.
