In 2004 Mike’s father, Les Meeks, was diagnosed with early stage Parkinson’s disease.  An army vet, a degreed mechanical engineer, a father of two, and a loving spouse, he soon began to tackle the challenging reality of Parkinson’s including: tremors, slowed movement, rigid muscles, impaired balance, loss of automatic movements, and speech difficulties.  With the gradual onset of this progressive disease, Les continued living a normal life for a number of years. Eventually the disease’s progression took it’s toll; severely limiting his ability to move without assistance, but never diminishing his sense of humor and zest for life.