Dr. Bruce Hedendal dies at 67; talented thrower, chiropractor
Bruce posted his track photo on Facebook.
Here’s all I know for now:
Bruce Eric Hedendal, 67, of Boca Raton, passed away Sunday, June 21st, 2015. He is survived by his mother, Fay Hedendal, brother, Gary Riccardelli, 6 children and 1 grandchild: Leif Hedendal, Iam Hedendal, Manija Hedendal Ofsanko, Eve Salcito, Eruch Hedendal, Lars Hedendal, and his grandson Jack Hedendal. He was a gifted and compassionate healer, a loving father, brother, son, and grandfather, and a visionary who nurtured those around him. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 25th, 2015 2:00PM at Unity of Delray Beach, 101 NW 22nd Street Delray Beach, FL 33444. Lorne & Sons Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
From a Boca Raton chiropractor site:
A father of six, Dr. Hedendal is at the forefront of chiropractic and functional medicine, high performance nutrition, fitness training and natural hormone therapies. Since 1985, he he has hosted syndicated radio and internet health programs, currently hosting the longest running radio and internet show “Health is Wealth Live.”
A Florida licensed Chiropractic Physician and Nutrition Ph.D., Dr. Hedendal continues to serve patients with Person Specific NutritionTM, his analytical nutrition and hormone balancing system. (He served as science advisor, product developer and spokesperson for two respected US nutraceutical firms, and continues to research and design the best innovative nutritional products.)
Dr. Hedendal has a book in pre-publication: Everything You Knew About Exercise Was Wrong, on the unmatched hormone youthing, strength enhancing, fat-buring and aesthtic benefits of high intensity, short duration exercise – the superior, yet little known advance fitness, anti-aging and nutrition paradigm for young and old alike.
To round out his distinguished career, Dr. Hedendal walks the talk, and is a current World-Class Master’s track & field champion – winning ten World, US, North American and Australian titles in four men’s masters’ age groups since 1997. In 2013 he became National Champion in the discus throw for his age group and holds The Florida State record for men’s 50 Discus. He set an age group World record in the 98lb. weight throw (1998), and is the current Nike World Master’s Games Record Holder in the men’s 50 Weight Pentathlon. Dr. Hedendal is former assistant coach for Florida Atlantic University’s track and field program.
Our condolences to his family and friends.
46 Responses
RIP, Bruce.
MY GOD !!! We were both at FAU Track practicing, we normally talk but on this day we just waved. Always take the time because you never know. Such an upbeat MAN !!!!
You will be missed. Always upbeat!!
We just competed together Sunday morning at the Florida Sunshine State Games. A great competitor. This is quite a shock to our Florida masters track community. Ken, I am curious to why you focused on the legal issues instead of his track and field accomplishments?
On a very sad day for the sport and for Bruces family you have managed to write a typically trashy article for what is primarily a Masters Athletic site. There was absolutely no need to dredge up the past in this way. Frankly you have shown zero respect to this man and his family !! Appalling !!
I have to agree with Gary & Kevin, this was NOT the place to air past legal troubles on this website. I feel you have done Bruce and more importantly his family an injustice here. The focus should have been on his wonderful throwing career and accomplishments. Rest in peace Bruce.
Ken, Very disrespectful.
I agree with Kevin. Ken you ask for our support through donations then you publish this piece on Bruce. A classless act and lacking respect for Bruce and his family. Shame on you. I certainly won’t be sending a donation to keep this site alive.
I can not believe I have read what I just read on this site. This was a terrible incident that occurred and you air this poor mans dirty laundry like this? Shame on you and I only hope you or none of your loved ones ever have anything like this ever written. RIP Mr Hedendal
Bruce was a legend at our high school, Paramus High, in Paramus NJ. He was a champion thrower, still holding school records in the discus (186′) and the shot (60′). I always loved hearing the story where he and a teammate, Neal Socha, were competing in a meet at the old Newark Schools Stadium. The discus was thrown towards one of the stadium walls. The sector was measured out to 150′, with another 20-25 feet to the wall. Our coach asked where Bruce and Neal would throw, since they will likely hit the wall with their tosses. The official snickered that in all the years he officiated there, no one had ever hit the wall. On Neal’s first throw he hit the base of the wall, and on his first throw, Bruce hit about 4-5′ up the wall. The officials measured Bruce’s throw by pulling the tape to the base of the wall, then up to where it struck. In order to preserve their discus, they didn’t take any additional throws.
I looked forward every 5 years, to the small window of a couple of months when we were both in the same age group, before he moved up to the next 5 year interval. We last got to compete together at the outdoor nationals in Illinois in 2012. I was looking forward to competing with him again in 2017.
Sadly, Bruce did make some regrettable decisions in his life. Those decisions have kept him out of the Hall of Fame at our alma mater. Perhaps now, people can forgive and induct him posthumously. He was certainly one of the greatest track and field performers in our school’s history.
Rest in peace Bruce.
Bruce may have been beloved by fellow throwers and the athletes he coached. But he had his demons and dark side. I meant no disrespect,but I’m not one to sugarcoat the news.
His death on Father’s Day was extra sad. So was his apparent treatment of his former wife, who was owed more than $100,000, according to this 2004 report:
Ex-Boca chiropractor faces tax charge
By Mary McLachlin, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Saturday, February 14, 2004
WEST PALM BEACH — The long arm of the Internal Revenue Service stretched across the United States, then to Canada, the West Indies and all the way to Australia to snag a former Boca Raton chiropractor and radio show host wanted for tax evasion.
Living in Brisbane, Queensland, Bruce Eric Hedendal was known as Dr. Erik Hedendahl, and he had an office, a Web site and another radio show promoting holistic and chiropractic care.
Hedendal fled the United States in 2000 after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges of not paying $180,000 in income taxes from 1993 to 1995.
The IRS says he tried to hide his income and assets in sham tax-exempt trusts bought from John Philip Ellis, a Royal Palm Beach man who was convicted of tax fraud conspiracy in 2001.
With penalties and interest, Hedendal, 56, now owes the government $742,000, Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Carlton said at the chiropractor’s arraignment in federal court Friday. Hedendal pleaded not guilty to three counts of tax evasion, each carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $100,000.
“He’s clearly a flight risk,” Magistrate Linnea Johnson said, and ordered him held without bail.
IRS agent David Keyes and U.S. Marshals Ram Ganesh and Glen Wilder made the 27-hour flight to Australia two weeks ago to retrieve Hedendal, who had been hopping around the globe for years.
Hedendal moved to Durango, Colo., in 2000 after a bitter and costly divorce in which he was ordered to pay his ex-wife $10,000 a month alimony and $4,000 a month support for four of their five children.
When he was summoned to face the tax evasion charges, he fled to Vancouver, British Columbia, then to the West Indies island of Grenada and finally to Brisbane, according to the government.
Hedendal owes his ex-wife more than $100,000, according to court records.
When Australian police arrested him on a traffic offense last June, they found he had false passports and identification cards showing him as a Canadian citizen named Ian Douglas Gillies. He was released in October, then arrested and held on a U.S. warrant until he could be extradited.
Carlton, the prosecutor, said police seized computer records showing Hedendal had offshore accounts in Latvia, the Channel Islands and the Cayman Islands. At one time, he had assets of $400,000.
The IRS has been tracking Hedendal and other purchasers of so-called tax-exempt or common law trusts since the prosecution of Ellis and five of his associates in 2001. Ellis promoted the trusts as legal ways to shield property, assets and income from taxation.
Ellis maintained that the IRS was an illegal agency and that wage and property taxes were unconstitutional. He also said Florida was not part of the United States and that federal laws applied only in Washington, the Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.
Ellis is serving 10 1/2 years for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and obstructing a grand jury investigation. His co-conspirators received lesser sentences.
Ellis created and sold common law trusts to golf course designer Theodore McAnlis, who was found guilty of tax evasion last year and sentenced to serve more than 10 years in federal prison. McAnlis put his property and money in the common law trusts.
McAnlis, of Palm Beach Gardens, had a notable career designing golf courses, including work on Doral Country Club’s Blue Monster in Miami.
As for Hedendal, he set up a trust he named Alternatives to Medicine, with himself and his mother as trustees, and gave it 95 percent ownership of International Nutrition, a dietary-supplement business that Hedendal claimed had $2 million in sales in 2000.
Throwers, runners and jumpers come to this site for news about Masters track and field, not this horse**** article. The only one interested in Bruce’s past seems to be you Ken. I suppose you feel proud of your research in bringing up Bruce’s past. Your piece was like a bad throw…deserving a red flag….out of the sector…..OUT OF BOUNDS!
Ken…..DID YOU REALLY NEED TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY AND ADD MORE FUEL ON THE FIRE YOU STARTED? I GUESS MY BEST RESPONSE IS THAT I AM ALL DONE WITH YOU AND THIS BLOG. THIS ISN’T TIME OR NEWSWEEK, IT IS A BLOG ABOUT MASTERS TRACK & FIELD. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT NO ONE READS ANY MORE OF ANYTHING YOU WRITE. IN THE FUTURE PLEASE TRY TO REMEMBER THE OLD SAYING “IF YOU CAN’T SAY SOMETHING NICE, DON’T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL…
Ken,
I come to this site for the spirit on which it was founded, to promote Masters Track & Field. While I don’t always agree with what is written, I usually let it be as most is in response to differences of opinion.
In the case of the post regarding Bruce, I do think the material did not need to be so highlighted. I’m sure we all have skeletons and we may not know what we all do outside of the sectors but we come here to promote our sport and show respect for the marks.
If Bruce was convicted of performance enhancements, which would have directly affected what happened in the circle, then I would be all for bringing that to light. Do I condone what he did? No. Does it change the performances and marks he posted? No. So then I do not think it was proper to bring it out so clearly in the post.
We all make mistakes. Ken, in my opinion, this is a mistake.
sorry to read of this…i mean, both the story of a fellow masters track and field athlete’s death, and the story of his “demons , and dark side” of which i do not care about reading at this time . i applaud ken effler’s tidbit as well as others…it never ceases to amaze me, that as human beings, we all fall short of perfection , and all have things that are a part of us, that we are not proud of…yet for whatever reasons, some choose to point fingers and go out of their way to diminish the brightness of others. too bad ken wasn’t involved with the vetting of our current commander in chief…if he was, barry sotero would still be a community organizer
Ken, uncalled the first time, then to reiterate it again in response, not good.
I do not see Ken’s reporting as being out of line of standard journalism. Masters track and field is not taking place in a vacuum. I probably would have not framed it the same way as Ken did, but it would be wrong to go around and state what a great guy Bruce was. It is Bruce who made the big mistakes, not Ken.
I think Ken got this one right. If Bruce’s obit was in the NY Times, I think it would have rated a similar write-up. Just good, responsible, well-researched journalism here, in my opinion.
Curt, as much as I agree with you in principal regarding the reporting, the NY Times is not family. We Master’s respect each other for all the good, and our faults. That in and of itself, Ken should have not have written in detail his personal issues. In the eyes of the Master’s community, he was respected and a good competitor, period!
Bruce was a friend to many people and it seems he was a good father too. His past had a sordid criminal incident. This wasn’t a “flaw” but his deliberate attempt to defraud others. You may call pointing out of this fact “hate and bitterness” but I call it the unvarnished and sad truth about Bruce’s legacy. We can debate whether it should appear on this website or not but don’t try to spin it as something positive.
Let’s all step back here a minute. This is Ken Stone’s personal blog, his sole property. He can express himself, reporting or “yellow pressing” whatever you might call it and I will defend his freedom of speech. I may not agree with him, have disagreed with him in the past on good men like Dieter Massin and would on this one, but it is his masterstrack.com. It is your right to disagree with him but you have no say in how he approaches his blogs… you can stay away from it. Oh, I would even defend Al Cestero’s freedom of speech… as funny as it is.
Disgraceful ….. Not sure how his past tax problems have anything to do with his tremendous track and field career or him being one of the best healers I have ever been to. He never didn’t forget to hug me when I saw him or have a great smile on his face. You Ken ….whomever you are need to re evaluate yourself and your agenda . Hope someone doesn’t write Ken was a real ASS on your obit someday.
I met Bruce at the Southeastern Masters meet in 1996, the first meet I competed in as a masters athlete. I always looked forward to seeing him and we spent much time talking track, health and life. He briefly told me about his situation but I didn’t care then and I don’t care now. Doesn’t change the respect I have for the special person he was.
A person of impeccable character has left this earth and is with the lord. He will be greatly missed by those of us who took the time to know his heart. Remorseful for what had happened, he focused on his family, friends and patients. I’m proud to have known him and welcome the thought of being reunited in the afterlife. Good bless.
I’m going to pray for you Ken. It seems as though you enjoy belittling a defenseless man that we all loved. I’m 100% sure that you’re not perfect in anyway either, so please get a life. Sleep in paradise Dr. Bruce. You helped so many of my friends & family & we’re forever grateful.
Bruce was highly intelligent, a great competitor, and delightfully humorous. I enjoyed many meals with him over the years. RIP Doc you are missed!
I am heart broken that Dr. Bruce is no longer with us. He was a very kind soul and treated his patients with much love, kindness and respect. I had him treat my 13 year old daughter for about 6 months and he helped her tremendously with a chronic disease that no other doctors could help her. Because of Dr. Bruce my daughter has a better quality of life today. May you rest in eternity with our heavenly Father!
I find the comments un called for regardless of this being a blog. This was my Uncle he made a mistake and paid dearly for it. Now he is gone and all certain people will think about is this one bad thing. My Uncle was a healer to a lot of people, he was a wonderful father to his children, a wonderful son to his mom. Please remember my Uncle in the good way and all of his accomplishments. RIP Uncle Bruce I Miss you.
Three words for you Ken: SHAME ON YOU!
Does anyone know how Bruce died? I am shocked at this news, so young, I thought he more than any of us would have been around alot longer. RIP Bruce, thanks for all the health advise and great radio shows throughout the years.
wow haven’t been here for awhile THIS article is 100% the reason why. RIP but first let me drag you thought the mud BAD STUFF
I enjoyed competing against Bruce because he always had so much fun. He was an excellent thrower and a great guy.
I just heard about this tragic death. Bruce was a friend who I knew only a short time when I lived in Florida, through his sons who were also my neighbors and friends. I am shocked about his death and he was a great man.
I cannot find anywhere online or on his page… what exactly happened to Bruce? How did he die? It simply says he died doing what he loved, but he loved so many things. He was a great person and of good character. Everyone has a past, so its too bad that some people want to focus on the bad when there were so many good things about Bruce.
And to die on Father’s Day, this is just tragic. I’m so sorry to hear about this and my heart goes out to all of the wonderful family he left behind. He was an avid family man and always had a smile on his face.
RIP and I hope you have comfort in heaven.
Ken, I’d be glad to humbly school you on who my dad was, if you’re unbiased and open enough to hear it. Then maybe you could replace this garbage with a proper article honoring his legacy, or just rest on your laurels and your supposed hard work of your reposted Yellow journalism source material. Let’s go!
I knew Bruce well for almost twenty years. I enjoyed chatting with him and throwing the discus. On Father’s Day he was at the Sunshine State Games and felt dizzy throwing the discus and even fell once. He just didn’t look good acc. to other throwers, although his last throw was 133. He was given water and Gatorade, went to his car and passed away sitting there. He must have died of severe hydration, which may have led to a heart attack. We will surely miss him
When I think of Bruce Hedendal, my friend and my chiropractor, the word redemption comes to mind. Ordinarily I wouldn’t put this ‘out there’ on this site but Ken already did and whether or not you agree with it or not, I want to explain why I was friends with Bruce in light of the fact that Ken stated, “His death on Father’s Day was extra sad. So was his apparent treatment of his former wife, who was owed more than $100,000.00, according to this 2004 report.”
I met Bruce as a result of a letter he wrote to me from prison. I had never met him, never spoke with him and only had knowledge of him through his second wife and our real estate broker. I moved to Florida with my former husband on our 9th Corporate Relocation. Bruce was very candid in his letter asking if I was the same Jan married to the man his wife was having an affair with. We became friends after he was released and soon thereafter I would need a chiropractor. My former husband of 25 years married Bruce’s wife two weeks after our divorce was final. He was ordered to pay me alimony but now owes me more than $170,000.00 in arrears plus a balance from our retirement account which he dissipated and used to purchase a home in CA for his new family. This would include Bruce’s youngest son. He was crushed, to say the least. We shared the same feelings and for the last several years I have witnessed Bruce’s struggles and have had the pleasure of meeting his mother, his 5 children and their mother. Although I never condoned Bruce’s past I do believe he worked very hard to mend the wounds which he inflicted. He was a very compassionate man and tried to make everyone around him feel good.
In the meantime my former husband has fled the country to evade court orders. Currently there is an arrest warrant pending in Palm Beach County. It is believed he is working in Vancouver as VP of Beverages earning over six figures. For some people it isn’t until they have 3 long years in prison to reflect and correct the course of their lives that they do so.
For my former husband and his apparent treatment of his former wife, who is owed more than $170,000.00, it would do him some good to face his demons.
So very ironic that I would meet Bruce the way in which I did. I truly believe that if he could come back and change the course of his life, he would. He was a good man who made several bad choices in his life for whatever reason but he redeemed himself in all that he did for his family and patients. I will miss him terribly. As I hugged his son Iam on my way out of the service, I could feel Bruce’s love radiating from the embrace. Dr. Bruce always had a hug and smile for everyone.
He will be missed by everyone who loved him. May he rest in Peace.
So sorry to hear about Dr.Bruce he was the best chriopractor I ever had. I went to several before I found him. I suffered from a bad case of Vertigo and pretty much every chriopractor told me I would have to live with it. Until I met Dr. bruce. He helped me and I never got it again.He also helped my son with his sports injuries. He will be missed. He will never be replaced.
Bruce like thousands of poor souls in Florida was a victim of the illegal alimony laws that currently exist in the state. He was harassed for many years by his former wife as the state continued to support laws created in the 1800″s. It is amazing that the state of Florida allows permanent Alimony for life. In Bruce’s case it destroyed his life. It caused him to attempt to aviod the IRS, move to another country not to mention the undue stress he had to endure. Bruce was a generous man and was willing to do anything to help his family and his former wife to get on her feet and create a life for herself however, like so many other alimony welfare collectors of permanent welfare (alimony) his first wife wouldn’t let him go. She kept her hooks in him as long as she could. I am not using this at theater to gain traction for alimony reform, I am simply saying Bruce would of stayed with his first wife and been a happy man taking care of his family in a wonderful life style if his first wife didn’t destroy his life.
The Bible also says we must forgive. Your email threat to me last evening will go in my file ‘Scary Mommy’ as I have endured your hate, remorse at times, and now continued threats. “You made a big mistake Ms. Killilea. After church I will expose what you are and what you did not know about Ellie. My children hate you and I know what you did. You should have stayed out of this one, I just told Tabitha. Big mistake to fight a Palestinian.” ~ Cristina Hunnewell
Lars, I want to express my deepest condolences to you for the loss of your father and that you are finding tranquility in the amount of people showing support for him. I am sorry that you find ‘humor’ in some of the comments which you say some ‘choose’ to focus on. There’s nothing humorous here Lars, just the opposite. I hope you don’t really believe that his ‘stand against the IRS’ was irrelevant because nothing could be further from the truth. As for Victor, there’s nothing precious about him as you WELL know. He can’t hold a candle to your father.
Nick, let’s agree to disagree about the current Alimony Laws in Florida which, contrary to your comments, are not ‘illegal.’ Alimony reform is about preserving wealth. In 2006, alimony underwent significant changes. Appellate rulings began to distinguish the alimony amount based on the length of marriage. In 2010, our Legislature added durational alimony. It is defined as alimony that runs for a specific length of time and then ends. This is in addition to bridge-the-gap, used to allow a spouse to transition. Permanent alimony is still needed. When a marriage lasts 25 years and more, the spouse who stayed home in a traditional marriage to raise children is simply not going to be able to start a career and fully recover for the 25 years lost.
You stated, “Bruce was a generous man and was willing to do anything to help his family and his former wife to get on her feet and create a life for herself.’ So what happened? You also went on to state, “I’m simply saying Bruce would of stayed with his first wife and been a happy man taking care of his family in a wonderful life style if his first wife didn’t destroy his life.” Not sure what that means but ok. I would have stayed with my first husband of 25 years and although we tried to overcome his affair with our realtor, she had her hooks so deep into him, he caved. Their marriage lasted 23 MONTHS.
Alimony reformers believe that a woman who gave up a career to stay home and raise a family should get alimony for some time. Thank God the Governor vetoed the bill two years ago for very good reasons.
I’m all for a healthy debate and out of respect for Bruce and his family I’d rather take it up privately through LinkedIn. Having said that, I will not tolerate any threatening emails from anyone including Ms. Hunnewell.
His marriage failed because he lost his job and the alimony laws in Florida allows the former wife to attach the new wives salary: they had to get divorced. She has three kids and needed to help them not pay a former wife part of her salary. The laws are out dated and ruin families. His former wife (Jan) has been looking for a job for 10 years; are you kidding me. The courts really believe his former wife (Jan) has been looking for a job. What a joke. It is welfare for lazy woman who only care about themselves. Your kids don’t even talk to you. You are nothing and shouldn’t be allowed to comment on someone like Bruce who worked his entire life to help people and his family. People like you are scum that have never contributed to anything in your life; nothing. Add up your life and count your contributions. And don’t bring up your kids, because they don’t like you or need you and never learned anything from you. Your life is a welfare state Get a job and stop commenting on people you know nothing about; you could never understand people like like Bruce because you have never done anything for your family or your community. Just get off this place of honor where people have done something with they lives.
Nick, clearly you don’t know what you are talking about. Are you saying that Cristina and Vic ‘had’ to get divorced because he lost his job? That’s laughable!!! Always someone else’s fault, right Nick? When I met her she was selling illegal fireworks in Boca Raton and attempting to be a real estate broker. ReMax Advantage Plus (I’ll take your husband.) He used marital money to pay for her fireworks but then her daughter got busted and the stand was shut down. Good mothering there, right Nick? Bruce asked me to testify at Lars’s custody hearing because he knew how abusive my children’s father had been. He’s a narcissist and still transfers $$ to them and that’s why I currently don’t have a relationship with the two of them! Two weeks ago I spent three days with my 29 year old daughter and my son-in-law. I have spent the last 5 Thanksgivings with them since my divorce. So wrong again, Nick ole boy!! As far as my employment. Not only do I work, I took care of my dying mother for over a year and received the 2014 Elizabeth McGown Caregiver Legacy Award shortly after my mother passed away last December. If you’d like to see my resume, I’d be happy to show you all my accomplishments including my employment history working for the City of Boca Raton, Lynn University, as a full time Nanny for 4 years AND an Official Citation from the State of Connecticut in ‘Recognition of Community Caring and Family.’ So wrong again Nick. Currently I work with the elderly and have two jobs. So until you know what it is you are talking about, I suggest you do some fact checking. Btw, you are the one who posted to this ‘place of honor’ trashing Bruce’s first wife. If you knew the real story of his second wife, you’d have much more trashy material to write about.
Had Bruce been a spiritual man on this earth? Had he known Jesus as his Saviour? I, unfortunately, had never talked to him about this belief from the Bible and the promise of eternity while competing at meets here and there. Future competitions will never be the same without him.
I am deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. Hedendal. Were there any paramedics on the field and why did no one call 911?
I can’t help thinking that the life of this incredible man could have been saved.
Why did he die alone in his car as stated in a previous post?
My deepest condolences to his family.
He was a very special man and the loss I feel is indescribable. Emptiness for sure.
Ok, maybe we should stop this discussion, it is just getting too personal. Clearly different people see the situation differently. Most of us will not be able to figure out what and why it happened. Every time a master athlete dies it is sad, but lets face it, few of us are perfect. As far as Ken is concerned, Ken can write anything he wants about me when I am dead.
I’m taking Milan’s advice and closing comments. If you have something substantive to add (and refrain from attacking another commenter), email me privately at TrackCEO@aol.com, and I can add comment by hand.
As always, my general policy is: OK to rip Ken a new one. Not OK to defame another commenter.
Dr. Richard Watson writes:
Bruce has been a good friend of mine for over 20 years after we got to know each other attending many of the Southeastern Masters meets in North Carolina in the early 1990s. Like many others, I was most saddened by his sudden and untimely passing. Much has been made of the unfortunate episode of his reneging on some of his alimony payments, owing taxes to the IRS (Florida has no state income tax), and eventually being an international fugitive from justice.
After going through a trial in divorce court with his first wife, the judgement against him was viewed by him, rightly or wrongly, to be grossly unfair and a travesty of justice. His mind was swimming in a sea of emotional turmoil to such an extent that he was not completely clear headed and rational in his thinking, and he became receptive to the ideas of an antitax group along the lines of the sovereign citizens movement, which many consider to be a fringe movement.
After years of removal from the acute situation and having time to reflect, Bruce admitted that some of his decisions reflected poor judgement on his part. He was upfront and open about this period in his life and never tried to deny or hide this from me or others. In typical Bruce fashion, rather than sulk, brood and feel sorry for himself, he made the best of a bad situation when he was in prison.
He nourished his mind by voluminous reading. He worked out frequently and with high intensity. His fit and chiseled physique earned him the prison nickname “Doc the Rock.”
This being said, this episode is a sad chapter in his life, but certainly not the defining part of his life. He was kind and caring to his family, friends and patients. He had a passion for fitness, health, and track and field in particular. He had an offbeat and often politically incorrect sense of humor to which I could relate.
In his case, specific examples are more illuminating than sweeping statements or judgements. In 1997, at the WMA meet in Durban, South Africa, Bruce who was with his wife Cristina and infant son Lars, offered me his much larger hotel room for me to use a visiting massage therapist and his large portable massage table rather than in my tiny cramped room. At the Southeastern Masters meet in 1998, he was with his then 13 year old Eve and then 9 years old Eruch.
I was with my then 4-year-old Janet, who tended to wander off and play in the sandbox and jump on the trampoline at the end of the long jump and pole vault runways, respectively.
Bruce asked Eve and Eruch if they could babysit Janet during our competition, which they gladly did. In 2000, the US Track and Field Olympic Trials were in Sacramento. Bruce had tickets. I did not. He was able to find some tickets for me for the last four days of the competition, and I was able to join him.
During a 24-hour hiatus in competition at the Olympic Trials, the two of us drove down to KEL Field in Santa Cruz and had a memorable throwing competition, along with some equally memorable wining and dining, with Gary Kelmenson and the late Ladislav Pataki in a late afternoon meet created just for the four of us. The other three of us introduced Bruce to the concept of “malt loading” (don’t ask).
In October 2002, the World Masters Games were in Melbourne, Australia. This also coincided with the 3 month, 5 day window every 5 years where Bruce and I were in the same age group. We competed together in the M50 discus. There were 25 entries: 1 Brit, 1 “Canadian” competing in a Maple Leaf singlet (Bruce), 1 American (me) and 22 Aussies, many of whom knew Bruce because he was living and competing in Australia at that time. Bruce won.
At many more meets than I can possibly recall, Bruce gave impromptu, difference making chiropractic adjustments to athletes suffering from acute or recurrent back pain and muscle spasms. He did not expect or request any compensation, but his efforts were much appreciated by many athletes from around the world. After 2002, it was several years before I next saw Bruce. We did eventually reconnect and would typically meet for dinner at least one during each national championship meet thereafter.
Rest in peace, my friend.