Age: 47 and counting. Although, I am going to quit counting soon.
Family: Beautiful wife, Linda. Four wonderful children, Reade, Ford, Kaitlyn and Rachel. Parents Aloysius and Margaretta.
Pets: Bella the Wonder Dog, a 9-year-old lab my wife likes more than me. Candidly, I like Bella more than I like me, too.
Education: University of Florida for undergrad, 1984-88, and law school, 1988-91.
Admitted to the Bar: 1991
Employed by: Terrell Hogan
Field of practice: Personal Injury — mesothelioma, asbestos, trucking and auto accidents, vaccines, etc.
Professional organizations: Past president of The Jacksonville Bar Association and The Young Lawyers Section. In addition, all the usual stuff — the American Bar Association, Jacksonville Justice Association, the American Association for Justice, The JBA, etc.
Community involvement: President of HEAL — Healing Every Autistic Life — a local nonprofit that assists the autism community in our immediate area; Sulzbacher Center Legal Aid Intake.
How did you become involved?
Back in 2003, I met several families who were struggling to find programs, day care, school curriculum, therapy and camps for their autistic children. I offered to help. I joined the board of HEAL. Since 2007, HEAL has raised more than $1.2 million used for children on the autism spectrum and their families. This past year, HEAL provided 18 summer camps and funded 47 grants. As for Sulzbacher Legal Aid, Marianne Aho started the program in 1999 as part of The JBA outreach programs to help Sulzbacher guests. I started helping Aho and Sarah Fowler of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid back then and just kept doing it all these years. I have had the privilege of handling cases for Sulzbacher guests that really made a difference for them and me.
How can someone else become involved?
As for HEAL, visit the website, healautismnow.org, attend one of the remaining two fundraising events — Great Ponte Vedra Paddle for HEAL on Labor Day or HEAL's Golf and Cocktail Event on Sept 12-13 — or volunteer to help at one of the many summer camps.
What have you learned/achieved through the experience?
Quadriplegics envy paraplegics. In other words, perspective is very important in one's life. There are so many people who have it worse than you do or have more obstacles to overcome. Stop and lend a hand. After all, it is never too late to be the person you should be.
What was the last book you read or are reading?
I positively love to read. I read for about 90 minutes each night before bed to decompress. I typically read a book or more each week and I enjoy reading a few books at the same time. I just finished "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and I am almost finished with "World Without End" by Ken Follett, my favorite author, and "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin.