Kirstin’s Story: Why MS Awareness Matters to Double Keyed
At the pool before MS; My dad, Richard, holding my 2 year-old self while my brother looks on.
My dad was an avid swimmer and football player through his high school & college years.
It was 1976. I was three years old when my dad sat down to write the first mortgage check on the home my parents had just built - and realized he couldn’t hold the pen.
What followed was a series of tests and, eventually, a diagnosis: Multiple Sclerosis.
While he worked as a mechanical engineer, he was often falling asleep during his lunch hour and eventually, when a 30-minute nap turned into an afternoon of falling asleep, he knew he had to retire early.
Over the next 38 years, despite every effort - steroid treatments, B12 shots, and countless therapies - he slowly lost control of his arms and legs. Muscle spasms and double vision became the norm. Eventually, he relied on a wheelchair.
This is the reality of MS. And it’s why this month matters so much to us.
Interestingly enough, March is both Music in Our Schools Month and Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month - two causes that are deeply personal to Frances and me. It’s also why we’ve partnered with MS FitEffect, a local organization doing powerful work in our local MS community.
In the video below, I share more about my dad’s story - and why this mission is so important to us.
Welcome to my dad’s journey.
My journey.
Our journey…
Me and the Father of the Bride.
May 28, 2011
Dad passed in 2014
For more information on MS:
Our charitable partner: MS FitEffect
Support and resources: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Learn more about MS: The Mayo Clinic: Multiple Sclerosis
