The BIG Takeaway™ newsletter By Rich Trombetta Dec. 19, 2022
Using examples from TV, movies and sports to launch a journey toward peace and happiness at work, at home...in life. Grab the remote and change your life.™ This week the newsletter will be devoted to one person who used his love of sports and fitness to positively impact the lives of so many.
Section No. 1: This week's BIG Takeaway Embrace the good
Image: Boston Globe
A three-hour wait leads to a lifetime of lessons Learning to move through life on "Jake time." The context Jake Kennedy (no relation to the famous Kennedy family) and his wife, Sparky (both pictured above), founded the amazing charity, Christmas in the City, in 1989. Jake died in 2020 but the organization keeps moving forward.
I met Jake in 1997 when I was a patient at his physical therapy location in Boston. Someone had told me "You have to see Jake. He is the best in Boston." So I waited. And waited. I paced. I looked at my watch. I fidgeted. My appointment was at 6 p.m. on a Friday and, after three hours, I still hadn't been seen. The Celtics were on so I occupied myself by watching the game. I swear the TV had rabbit ears to get reception.
"First time here?" a fellow patient laughed. "Welcome to Jake time."
The facility was reminiscent of the gym from "Rocky." A little dusty with crooked pictures on the wall, the locker room dingy with a smell of sweaty feet and cheap cologne. If you dropped food on the floor, the five-second-rule became the nanosecond rule; it went in the trash.
About a dozen patients grunted and groaned as they were put through their exercises by graduate students and interns, all completing their training and taking direction from Jake as he paced up and down an isle between a dozen tables; six on each side. Back and forth he traveled, checking an elbow here, a knee there, giving instructions to each patient-student combo like an Army general inspecting the troops.
I was finally seen at 9:15. Remember, this is a Friday evening.Jake poked, prodded and moved my arms and legs like a puppeteer, finally telling one of his assistants, "Put him on treadmill on an incline backwards for 10 minutes." Backwards? I waited three hours for this?
Jake told me to come back on Monday and plan to be there three days a week. "Who do I talk to about the appointment?" I asked. Jake strolled away to another patient without answering. "Just come in," the student told me smiling. "There really aren't any set appointments."
At 10 p.m. confused and wondering what exactly had just transpired, I left as the location shut down for the day; I would later learn they opened at 6 a.m. five days a week.
This was day one of a 25-year journey with Jake, his family and his staff that continues today; a journey that would introduce me to one of the most amazing charities - and people - in the world.
Life therapy disguised as physical therapy I went to Jake's location every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for six weeks straight. Having just moved to Boston, I was living off savings while looking for a job.
Arriving at PT was like being on the show "Cheers." This wasn't just PT, it was a community where everyone knew each other and everyone had a nickname. "Rich man!" Jake would say as I entered off the elevator and passed "Beebop," "Ratt" and others.
My sessions lasted over three hours, and it would have been more if each time I didn't remind Jake I had a train to catch. In between the exercises there were chats, hellos and conversations about last night's game. "Nomah is gonna have a banna yeah" Jake would say in his central-casting Boston accent that made him sound like he was from that other Kennedy family.
After six weeks my insurance wouldn't pay for additional visits. "Just keep coming," Jake told me. He put me on the gym membership plan for $40 per month and still had me work with him and his assistants. It was then I learned Jake never turned away a patient- and that included people who were homeless.
I began to connect the dots. Those crooked pictures on the wall? One was of former Los Angeles Lakers star, Magic Johnson, standing with Jake. Others included members of the Patriots, Bruins and Celtics, all of which had sent their highly paid professional athletes to his location. There were also signed letters from politicians.
My favorite picture was Jake on a camel in the desert when he was on a trip to treat a princess from a Middle Eastern country. She had been in Boston meeting with other dignitaries when she got hurt. The governor's office called Jake, he treated her and the prince, and from that day forward he was their personal physical therapist, flying across the world when needed.
My second favorite? Jake in handcuffs after protesting injustices in the 70s.
Despite the famous people in the photos the PT operation was a front for Jake's true mission - to help those less fortunate. He was was on the Governor's committee for physical fitness and sports, he had a partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital where any Boston public school student athlete could get free PT and he raised money for grants to help coaches, athletes and teams in Boston that desperately needed help.
Thanksgiving dinners were assembled and donated in November and thousands of homeless children and their families were invited to a holiday party in December where every child received a wrapped gift, Santa made an appearance and parents received essentials that most of us take for granted. Nurses provided flu shots, dentists did checkups and one of Boston's most exclusive hair salons pampered moms - many of whom could not be interviewed by the TV stations that would come and report on the event because they were victims of domestic abuse and were on the run.
Through the years Jake did so much. These are just a few items I know about.
One year a man arrived late to the holiday party with his family and there were no gifts left. Jake took down the man's address - the family was living in a motel - and brought them food and presents later that evening.
He once broke up a gun fight and disappeared away before the media could interview him. The Celtics honored him with their "Heroes Among Us" award and, of course, he have his court-side tickets to two members on his staff.
He ran the Boston Marathon for charity every year, often training at 10 p.m. at night after working a 16-hour day. Once I was walking to the subway and looked up at his PT clinic and saw him running on the treadmill; it was almost midnight.
The Patriots were late getting him some signed merchandise to auction at an annual Christmas in the City fundraiser so he drove down to the stadium, bought the items, got into practice and had players sign them on the spot.
St. Patrick's day was always a treat, the start of Olympics included a parade around the clinic and everyone from prominent politicians and local celebrities and were always present at his fundraising events.
A Fortune 100 company once offered to make a donation for Christmas in the City in exchange for promotional opportunities. Jake said no. Not once in all the years has Jake or his family sought or asked for publicity from the event; the name of his physical therapy clinic is never mentioned.
In 2004 when the Red Sox beat the Yankees after being down 3 games to none, I remember watching the game on TV and I see a shot of Jake standing on the roof of the Red Sox dugout when the game ended. The World Series trophy made its way to the Christmas in the City party that year and hundreds of children were able to get a photo with it.
Finally, in 2019 when Jake was dying of ALS, I saw him for the last time. I was at the setup for the massive Christmas in the City party when, struggling to speak, he shared the following with me:
"Rich man, I am so lucky."
The biggest lesson It am so grateful I waited the three-hours in 1997.
Quote for the week [Jake Kennedy] taught us, perhaps most crucially, humility. He taught us that whatever we have, somebody has far less. He taught us that we judge ourselves and the place we call home by how we treat the least among us. More than anything, Jake taught us kindness. - Kevin Cullen, Boston Globe
If you want to help Christmas in the City, there are ways to contribute and get involved. Please forward this link to others you know who might be interested as well. It is a 100% volunteer organization so every penny goes to the cause.
That's all for now
I hope everyone has a safe, happy and fun holiday season! Be well and I will see you in 2023!
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Rich Trombetta @trombettarich
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