After yesterday's blog about the voice, today's news story is somewhat poignant. Dave Jennings has been a New York football radio commentator for almost two decades. After a successful NFL football career as a kicker (he went to the Pro Bowl a number of times), he pursued a calling in sports broadcasting. For the last four football seasons he has worked for the New York Giants. Prior to that, he held a similar position with the New York Jets football club. He has been hiding symptoms of Parkinson's disease, along with his diagnosis for many years. Now that he's let everyone know, he is also working with a voice coach. He reports success with the therapy.
Judging from his current age, Jennings certainly is a young-onset Parkinson's patient. That may partially explain the apparently slow progression of Parkinson's disease in his situation. People with young-onset Parkinson's can often function better, and for a longer period of time than their comrades who are diagnosed in their 60s, 70s or later. Young onset PWPs also tend to need more time to get to the final stages of PD and become bedridden. As you would expect, their life expectancy is also longer.
So, if you happen to be a New York football fan, you may be familiar with the personality and voice of Dave Jennings. If you are not a New York football fan, you are almost certainly familiar with some of the experiences and feelings that he has living with Parkinson's disease.
