Printer Friendly Version - Like Father, Like Daughter

Linda Remington, shown here with her mother Lucille Przygocki and late father, Ray Przygocki, center, says her passion is to make a difference to those with Parkinson's disease. "If I can be a resource to the community in any way, I will," she says, adding she'd like to help give other families hope. "You're not alone and people understand."

A shoreline resident since 1974, Ray Przygocki was a career insurance agent who loved golf. The father of three died suddenly on Dec. 28, 2010 after living for many years with Parkinson's disease, a condition that claimed the life of his brother, Joseph Przygocki.

Though Ray died of natural causes not related to Parkinson's, his daughter Linda Remington and her family have fought passionately since his death to find a cure for the progressive, neurodegenerative disorder.

"My whole inspiration is to carry my dad's voice forward," Linda says of her father. "It was his hope that in his lifetime he would see a cure for the disease and I want to continue his legacy and be his voice."

Part of continuing that legacy is Linda's efforts to support Guilford VNA Community Healthcare's Parkinson's exercise group. Because her father never missed the biweekly class, Linda is dedicated to keeping it going.

"I knew the funding was very limited with Medicare and Medicaid cuts," Linda says. "There aren't a lot of local resources for people with Parkinson's."

Linda and her family also formed Team RJ's Hope in 2008, walking in the Parkinson's Unity Walk in New York City to honor her father and uncle (the Ray and Joe of the team's name) and raising $5,000 for the American Parkinson Disease Association.

Linda also serves on the board of the M.J. Petretto Foundation, a non-profit based out of her own offices in Guilford that raises money to support spinal cord injury and Parkinson's research and programs, including $10,000 with last year's M.J. Petretto Foundation Golf Classic to help fund the VNA's Parkinson's exercise and caregiver groups. The third annual Golf Classic is in the works for June 11.

Michelle Ferguson, manager of marketing and development at Guilford's VNA, calls Linda a "true advocate."

"Linda is passionate about helping those with Parkinson's live better lives through exercise and newly researched methods like deep brain stimulation," says Michelle.

Linda's passion also includes serving on the board of the Madison Community Services and membership in the Hammonasset chapter of Business Networking International. Last year, she spoke about Parkinson's and the Golf Classic on Good Morning Connecticut on Channel 8 and on Guilford public television.

Having accumulated a great deal of knowledge about the disease since her dad and uncle fell ill, Linda says she wants to educate people and has even considered public speaking.

"I want people with Parkinson's to know they have a support network in our community," Linda says, adding she'll do whatever she can to keep that network going, "whether it's walks in Central Park or running a golf tournament. Maybe through the years, I'll have a different mission, but I want to continue my dad's hope and dream that there will be a cure in my lifetime."

Linda, a financial advisor at Guilford's Retirement Planning Group, worked with her late father for several years before his retirement. It's clear that he is her inspiration.

"He was a quiet guy, but when he said something, it was big. He was very courageous, always positive, and always optimistic...My dad volunteered for the first annual M.J. Petretto Foundation Gold Classic in 2010. Who would have thought the 2011 tournament would be dedicated to him?" Linda says.

In a sad twist, she says she'd always expected to see her father profiled in this column.

"I always wanted to nominate him for the incredibly courageous man he was, always putting others first, even as he was living with Parkinson's. I feel like things have come full circle and I can only do well and make him proud."

Linda says her close-knit family supports her efforts and volunteers often at Parkinson's events. That includes brother Michael Przygocki, a cyclist; sister Janice Przygocki, a Special Olympic gold medalist in Nordic skiing; and mom, Lucille Przygocki, a Madison real estate agent Linda calls an "amazing woman" who was always there for her husband.

It's that type of family support Linda says is critical to maintaining a positive outlook for Parkinson's patients-local organizations are vital, too, as is ensuring they get funding.

In her spare time, Linda, who grew up in Madison, enjoys hiking in Hammonasset or Chatfield Hollow, playing with her two dogs Cody and Kassie, and golf. A former president and chapter champion of the Executive Women's Golf Association's (EWGA) Central Connecticut Chapter, Linda was Low Gross Champion at the Cadillac Executive Women's Golf Series New England Regional Championship in 1997 and EWGA's Central Connecticut Chapter Champion. She recalls playing golf with her parents on her father's birthday, just four months after he underwent deep brain stimulation, a surgical procedure that can be helpful to some Parkinson's patients-"and he still out-drove me."

In fact, Linda's mantra is a Polish proverb oft-repeated by dad: Od czego zly, dobra wola zdarzaj si or "from something bad comes good."

"If I can make something good out of the traumatic loss of a man who was my mentor and my best friend, that's a life well lived."

Part of the life well lived, for Linda, is working hard for Parkinson's sufferers.

She does it, she says, "for my father, for my family, for people with Parkinson's, because I have cousins whose father died of Parkinson's and I do it because there has to be a voice. I want to be a voice for those who need help. I think my father from above is helping me."

Dr. Mary Purdy, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, speaks about the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment as it pertains to Parkinson's Disease on Thursday, April 26 at 10 a.m. at VNA Community Healthcare, 753 Boston Post Road, Guilford. The program is free. For more info, call Kathleen at