Gary Ellis Is An Alabama Bright Light Delivering A Blow To Parkinson’s Disease

By Karim Shamsi-Basha

Two years ago, Gary Ellis woke up for what seemed like any other day. Except by the afternoon, he learned Parkinson’s disease had invaded his body. Never imagining a disease like Parkinson’s coming into his house and claiming residency, Ellis was jolted.

“When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I was in shock and trying to figure out what it all meant. I was unfamiliar with it and one of the things that got on my radar was the need to reduce stress and have a specific exercise program to help slow the progression,” Ellis said.

After a few visits to the doctor and some research, Ellis found Rock Steady Boxing. The noncontact sport recommended for Parkinson’s patients has 400 gyms around the world, but none were in Gulf Shores, where Ellis lives. He enlisted the help of karate studio owner Chris Wheeles, and the rest was a knockout.“Gary called me a few months ago,” Wheeles said. “I asked him if he had Parkinson’s, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I immediately signed up for certification. We went to Indianapolis and that’s how we got it started.”

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