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.”