DECEMBER 2015

JUPITER COURIER NEWSWEEKLY An inspiring Robert Bruno

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reprinted from the above newspaper except the last paragraph

For all the awards presentations and Hall of Fame inductions last month in separate ceremonies hosted by the PGA of America and the South Florida PGA Section, none had the impact of the inaugural Deacon Palmer Award. Not because of the title, though anything in golf connected with the name Palmer, whether Arnie or his dad, Deacon, is always something special. In this case, at the SFPGA's annual awards program at Wycliffe Country Club, it's the recipient, Robert Bruno , director of golf at of Frenchman's Creek Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, who must be recognized.

And the award's criteria only begins to tell his story.

The Deacon Palmer Award: "bestows special recognition on a PGA Professional who personally displays outstanding integrity, character and leadership in an effort to overcome a major obstacle in his/her life."

BRUNO'S REMARKS

To hear Bruno's acceptance remarks – clear, concise, thoughtful and sincere – one would never have suspected anything was wrong. Still the fact that they brought a microphone to him at his table rather than ask Bruno to come to the dais should have been a clue. You see, in 2012 Bruno was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). ALS has always been considered as incurable but don't tell that to Bruno. "You have to overcome it or it will overcome you," he said. Shortly after receiving what initially had to be horrible news, Bruno started stem cell treatments at the University of Michigan and remains on several drug therapies. The goal is to slow the advancement of the disease while striving to find a cure. He is currently awaiting more stem cell surgery, likely before the end of the year. In the meantime, Bruno has become a counselor and mentor to other ALS patients, his positive outlook truly an inspiration to the members at Frenchman's Creek, his peers, friends and family. On one recent trip to Michigan for what amounted to 10 hours of spinal surgery, Bruno says he was asked by one of the doctors why he was putting himself through all of this. "Time," Bruno replied. From all of us at Frenchman’s Creek we pray Robert has many years of “Time.” Congratulations Robert, we can think of no one more deserving of this award!

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