JANUARY 23 • 2020 | 27
A Promise
To Keep
I
n May 2019, Dr. Ethan
Goldstein of West
Bloomfield began riding
his Peloton bike for 365 con-
secutive days not just for him-
self, but also for his late father.
Goldstein’
s father, Dr.
Mervin Goldstein, was a
plastic surgeon in Newport
Beach, Calif. He lived a nor-
mal and healthy life until
May 1, 1997, when he experi-
enced his first stroke.
“He suffered from a very
unusual stroke that left him
paralyzed on his right side
and with difficulty with his
speech,” Goldstein said. “He
was eventually able to walk
but had no use of his right
arm and was then unable to
practice medicine.”
Over the next 22 years,
Mervin Goldstein lived a
happy and meaningful life.
He was a talented artist who
retaught himself to draw and
paint with his left hand. He
was even able to retake his
driver’
s test and teach him-
self how to drive left-handed.
“Unfortunately, in October
of 2019, he had to come
off blood thinners for a
colonoscopy and ended
up having another stroke,”
Ethan Goldstein said. “That,
in conjunction with heart
failure, really set him back
further.”
After a month-long
battle in the hospital, Mervin
Goldstein passed away on
Dec. 14, 2019.
Goldstein shared that his
father was always positive
and upbeat. He would always
say, “That was then, this is
now.” Even with the obstacles
that followed his stroke, he
never let that dampen his
outlook on life.
With his father as his inspi-
ration, Goldstein, 45, decided
to ride his Peloton bike for
365 consecutive days to raise
money and awareness for the
National Stroke Association.
“I’
ve had my Peloton for
about three years now, and
in May, Peloton had its
homecoming event where all
their home riders can come
together for a weekend filled
with events and festivities.
I decided then — since it
was around the time that my
dad had his first stroke and
since May is National Stroke
Awareness Month — to start
this 365 consecutive day ride
in support of my dad.”
Goldstein rides his
Peloton for this initiative
because he recalls the deter-
mination his father showed
while riding his recumbent
bike during rehab.
“He sat on the recum-
bent bike for an hour, and
although he wasn’
t going 100
mph, he was still working
hard and breaking a sweat,”
Goldstein said. “This is some-
body who had limited use
of his right side and heart
failure, but here he was two
to three times a week, getting
on the recumbent bike and
exercising.”
So far, Goldstein has stuck
to his goal. Although it’
s hard
to find motivation at times,
he often reminds himself
of a quote shared by one of
the Peloton instructors: “I
want you to take this ride for
somebody who can’
t.”
May 5 will mark Goldstein’
s
365th consecutive day of
riding his bike. This date will
also be four days after his
father’
s stroke 23 years ago.
“I’
ve made this commit-
ment not only to myself, but
also to my father,” Goldstein
said. “I know he’
s watching
and pushing me along.”
Dr. Goldstein has a GoFundMe (bit.
ly/2TD9VyT) set up in honor of his
dad for his Peloton ride for 365
consecutive days. All proceeds
go directly to the National Stroke
Association.
Dr. Ethan Goldstein, his wife, Marcie, his children Benjamin, 17, Seth, 15, and
Manya, 9, surround his mother, Carol, and his late father, Dr. Mervin Goldstein.
Dr. Ethan Goldstein
vows to ride Peloton
for 365 days to
raise awareness for
strokes in honor of
his father.
CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER
PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. ETHAN GOLDSTEIN
UMatter Gets Funding
Support from
Kukes Foundation
The Andrew Kukes
Foundation for Social
Anxiety announced a
15-year $750,000 grant to
the Friendship Circle of
Michigan to help the funding
and growth of the Friendship
Circle’
s UMatter program,
which focuses on teen
mental health.
The Foundation, founded
by a family with Michigan
roots in memory of their son
who died after struggling
with social anxiety, began
support of UMatter in 2017
with a five-year grant of
$250,000. That grant is
now being extended for
an additional 10 years,
making the grant a 15-year
investment.
This donation will
allow UMatter to assume
responsibility for the
Foundation’
s day-to-day
activity, including the social
media presence that provides
information and resources
for those suffering with
social anxiety.
“The support of the
Foundation and the
generosity of the Kukes
family will allow UMatter
to continue its growth in
Michigan and beyond,”
said Rabbi Levi Shemtov,
co-founder and executive
director of the Friendship
Circle of Michigan. “Social
anxiety will be a part of the
conversation our program
will have as teens discuss
mental health with their
peers, as part of the effort
to eliminate stigma and
make conversation about
mental health as common
and important as it is about
physical health.”