Friday, January 17, started off like any other day. Work, at 8News, I came home and called my mom and stepfather, Phil. It was a normal conversation, but with some excitement, because I was flying out to Palm Springs, California where they lived the next day and Phil and I were going to play a couple of rounds of golf over the course of the next week. Phil had recently taken up golf a few years ago, but he caught the bug. And while starting late in life with the game, he was improving every day and he loved to share that with me. The conversation with my mom and Phil ended just like normal. That evening, I took my daughter, Alexandra, to travel softball practice and left my phone in the car. After the 2 hour practice, I got back into my car, and I had more than 30 missed calls and a number of voicemails. The calls all came from my mom’s phone number and my wife, Darlene’s, phone number. At that point, I got that horrible feeling in my stomach and I frantically started calling. I called my mom first, and the phone was busy. I called my wife and she picked up and the sound of her voice told me all I needed to know… “Call your mom, something has happened to Phil.” I hung up and called my mom again, she answered crying… She was at Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Desert. Phil had been rushed there by ambulance. Phil, had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and was on life support in ICU. My life, my mom’s life, Phil’s life had changed in a matter of hours, with no warning.
Phil was a man that took health and fitness to the next level. He worked out several times per week, walked and played golf. He ate foods that were high in protein, low in carbs, low in cholesterol. Stuff that my mom and I still make fun of to this day. He passed his physicals every year and was in great shape. So, having a stroke like this was truly shocking and obviously never expected.
I was on the first flight out of Richmond, and landed in Palm Springs by noon and went straight to Eisenhower Medical Center. I walked into Phil’s room to a sight that I never thought I would see, a man that was so strong and healthy hanging on to life with the aid of machines. Soon after, my mom and I would meet with the doctor only to hear what we already feared. The stroke was causing the brain to bleed and it would soon create pressure that would bring an end to Phil’s life. At that point, my mom and I, along with Phil’s wishes in his advance directive, had to pull the plug and remove the artificial means of life support.
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of Phil. He had been like a father to me since the age of 10. I don’t think about those horrible 24 hours and the several days that followed until he passed. I think about the amazing times, the laughs, the fun, the conversations, the mannerisms, and all of the things that made Phil the man that he was.
However, there is always that question of why? Why did this happen to someone that was so healthy and took care of his body? So, my Why is what fuels me to be a Leader of Impact for the American Heart Association.
Will you join me in making a real impact on the health of our community? Whether you choose to donate or join my team, your support helps fund lifesaving research, education, and advocacy through the American Heart Association. Fundraising is open from September 17 at 9:00 a.m. through November 4 at 9:00 p.m. Together, we can give more families precious time with their own "Phil" and help create a future of longer, healthier lives for all. Please click the Donate button or Join My Team today.