"Heartfelt Heart Failure-a personal anecdote Oct 1,2019 Jack Brown

This is a brief description of an encounter with a man who I knew from working out
at The Dolphin. A gym on Fourth Street in Manhattan. He recognized me and asked
if I was still fighting against the out of control bikes? The description follows. I was
moved to know just how much it meant to a combat vet with congestive heart failure.

Heartfelt Heart Failure

This afternoon I was walking up First Avenue by the

Rite Aid across from Village View. A man walking in the opposite

direction said “ Are you still fighting against the out of control

bikes?” I said “How do you know? Did you see me on television?”

He was medium height. Broad shouldered and big chested. Very

short hair. Latino. He said “We used to work out at the same gym.

The Dolphin.” Then recognition. A former football player he did

keen stretches before working out. I adopted some.

He said “ I lived a crazy life style and wound up with congestive

heart failure. But if you change your ways-you get a second chance.”

As we talked he held onto a metal pole installed for construction.

Supporting his weight. I said that what was going on was really

crazy. Transportation Alternatives-well funded-well organized-

had exerted influence on Mayors Bloomberg and de Blasio to

suppress enforcement. To supposedly increase safety for bikes

with increased ridership. So too lack of helmets. The streets and

sidewalks are out of control. Shows that it is crazy-but it keeps

going.

He had to go to therapy. He is a combat Vet. His last words were

“Never give up. Never never give up.”

I haven't seen him for years. I may never see him again. But

I can't give up. I won't give up fighting to restore order and

balance to a public safety crisis. To honor a combat veteran

and a man who knows well the precious value of life.