The Good, The Bad, and then there is Great.

Sometimes my anger can get the best of me with people who just don’t seem to care about anyone but themselves. Ah a ray of sunshine, I read all the comments made about my Denny and all the love that pours out of each and everyone of you. A man truly blessed with so many people who love him and admire him. For someone to read how he has touched so many lives and made such a big impact. Denny is a man full of pride and a heart of gold. Denny is a giver, he takes care of people and it is very hard for him to finally have to ask for help. It touches his heart very deeply to have someone give back. As we all know by now how this ugly disease works, taking away your mobility to do the simplest things in life. Denny is starting to realize just how much help he is going to need and changes in his life that will be taking place. One of Denny’s very good friends, Scott Kelley, who is a Scout leader, took on the challenge of helping Denny. James Fyock, a Scout, wanted to help. You see Denny and Diana’s driveway is on a very steep hill and is all gravel; knowing that Denny will require a wheelchair and will be unable to get in and out of the house, James took it upon himself to get a driveway for Denny. Denny put James in contact with Joe Maite’s who tries to help families out in need. Denny use to work with Joe at Akron Special Machinery here in Akron. In turn Joe put James in touch with Perrin Concrete Construction Inc. After a lot of phone calls and planning it all came together. Denny was getting a new driveway donated to him. Denny is overwhelmed by the kindness and the help that these wonderful people gave. Special thanks goes out to: James Fyock, Eagle Scout project manager, Mitchell Kelley, Ted Wood, Justin Hayhurst and JacobWood Eagle Scout helpers, and Joe Maite’s for making the contacts and making this happen. Scott Kelley, Venture Crew Advisor and Lisa Fyock – Mom and helper. Chuck Perrin – 1 of the owners, Dan King – operations manager, Brian Hayth – concrete worker of Perrin Concrete Construction Inc. Also wish to include Pizza Hut donated 2 large pizzas for the workers and out of his own pocket Mitchell Kelley bought hamburgers for everyone. In Denny’s words: “There are people I have just met, through people I have known forever, all have donated their time and efforts to helping out a stranger or a friend, if there were more people like them in this world, the world would be a much better place. When it is all said and done I will be watching over all of you.” Denny would like everyone to know that this company, the kindhearted and honest people helping him and recommends them to anyone. It came to back to Denny later that Perrin Co. offered to pay the workers for their hard work and time. And each and every one of them turned it down. Great people or what?

Perrin Asphalt and Concrete 525 Dan Street, Akron, Oh 44310 Phone: 330-253-1020 Fax: 330-253-1042 Direct: 330-252-2125

Wonderful people, doing wonderful things! Again MUCH THANKS and you did a beautiful job. It looks wonderful and I know it is deeply appreciated by Denny and Family. It is Great to know that people can touch back to the man who touches to many lives. We all love you, Denny.

How does one handle this one?

I received a call from Denny, all excited, he had heard about a medical research facility that could maybe help him. He had heard from a friend who had a similar diseases and after going to this facility he was feeling stronger and better. Denny called them and told them all about what was going on with him and can they help. They set him up for the appointment; the facility was in Columbus OH. Diana and Denny drove there the night before and stayed in the hotel. Denny holding on to some hope that maybe, just maybe there was some help. Only to go in for his appointment for the doctor to be reading over his chart and as she was reading down the chart saying “I don’t see that you have ALS but reading this” Denny’s heart just stopped and the jaw hits the floor. And in Denny’s words, he was extremely angry for the wasted trip and getting a glimpse of some hope, the words he used, sorry can’t print here. The thought of “What?” comes to mind. But as the doctor continues to read down the chart of all the test “Oh yes I see you have been seeing Dr. ???, and if he says that is what it is then that is what it is”. “But we are sorry Denny we can not help you here for ALS. Because there is no cure for this and we do not”. “The research comes to us once in a while.”

Denny explains that, “I told you this all over the phone that I had ALS”.

“I am sorry there must have been some kind of misunderstanding. I won’t charge you for your visit due to the misunderstanding, but I will tell you there is no medication out there FDA approved that can help you.” The FDA approved one medicine that out of the 20% of the people that actually took the medication only 20% of them lived 3 months longer.

In Denny’s words: “I feel that the FDA approves what they want to approve, how do you like them odds? I feel that if it was one of their own, things would be different.” So heart in hand and hopes crushed yet again, Denny and Diana went home knowing what they already pretty much knew. I don’t know how many of you saw the story of “Jenifer” who also had ALS, died Dec 16, 2003. There was a lifetime movie of her life. She and her sisters are the founders of Project A.L.S. web site http://www.projectals.org/. But the point I wanted to make with this that if you saw the movie. You could see some of the cold, heartless medical personnel, and how they react to people with this disease. I am not saying that there are not some wonderful people out there who do understand and have a heart. I will never give up hope; someone out there has to find a cure. Medical science can create a disease to kill the world and make a vaccine against it. We can spend billions on this; we spend billions on cancer research and again no cures. Makes you wonder where the priority of our government lies; with killing or healing?” Denny has a few choice words of his own, but we will save this for the book. Wait till you get a load of that.

A guest writer

As some of you already know, friends and family of Denny are more than welcome to contribute articles to the blog. This is by no means a closed endeavor. You don’t need to feel obligated to write something for the blog – it is a difficult thing to do when you sit down to really think through it. To write is to reflect. To reflect is to comprehend. To comprehend is to make it a part of you. And making this subject a part of you is a large leap to undertake.

That being said, one more brave soul is taking that leap this week. The following was sent in by Jessica Sensenstein:

My 2^nd Dad

Contributed by: Jessica Sensenstein

I have known Denny Parsons since I was 11. I met Jessica his oldest in the 6^th grade and we instantly became best friends. I started going over to their house all the time. Denny soon became like a second dad to me. Denny is the type of person that makes you feel so comfortable and you can tell him everything. He is like a big kid. My high school years were very tough for me and Denny was there. He opened up his heart and home for me. Every weekend Jessica, I and some other girls were always over there and he would make breakfast for us and Pat from down the street would come down. They were my second family. Jessica and I would go down to Pats and goof off, and then we would steal, I wouldn’t say steal but borrow some of Pats stuff in his garage when he wasn’t home. It was so funny and he knew it was us and Denny got a big kick out if it!! No matter what I had problems with I could always go to Denny, if I ever needed anything. In December 2005 my dad died and Denny was there. I know my dad is up there looking down and is ok that Denny has become my second dad. No matter what kind of day I had Denny could always make me smile and anyone for that matter. Denny is an amazing guy and I know this is hard for him and everyone close to him, but I know he will fight his hardest. I honestly don’t know where I would be with out Denny and Jessica. I love you Denny!!

Opening Up

This is very new to me… I don’t tell people how I feel..what I think about.. My father Denny Parsons is a great man..really I mean that I would even think that if I was a stranger and had a chance to meet him.. His disease………god where do I start? It makes you think..why? why something like this could happen to a man that is such a great person? This effects the whole family..but most of all this effects him.. I remember sitting at his house one night we were talking and he looked at me and said ” Jessica I am scared” we both started to cry. We said a lot to eachother that night but that is the one thing that scared me the most of all……. When I go over to see him, he makes me smile he has such good spirits, he smiles, laughs, jokes around. Lately he has been ok he has braces to help his walking, he called me one morning and was happy he was feeling great. That made me happy I don’t think I have heard him that happy in a long time.

The New Driveway

On Saturday, November 3rd, a couple Eagle Scouts, Perrin Concrete Co., and some old friends got together under the leadership of an Eagle Scout candidate and did some real good for Denny. Sue will be posting another article soon with more details, but in the meantime, here’s some photos from the day.

More coming soon…

Last weekend some helping hands came out to Denny’s and poured him a new concrete drive and improved the accessibility into his home so that he could around a bit better.  I’ll be posting photos from that soon.  In the meantime, I couldn’t have said this better myself, which was scrawled on Denny’s garage wall: