Bob was born in Denver, Colorado, though much of his childhood was spent on his father’s cattle ranch in Nebraska. His parents divorced when Bob was 15, and he returned to Denver with his mother. He has a younger brother, Tom, an older stepsister named Sherri, and a stepbrother, Doug, who died of Agent Orange after returning from the Vietnam War.
Although farm life shaped his early years, Bob never felt drawn to it. Instead, he discovered a calling in healthcare. As a teenager, he worked as an orderly in a Jewish hospital in Denver and went on to earn his LPN at just 17. Bob later became a nurse practitioner, working in hospitals, emergency rooms, orthopedics, geriatrics, and even the prison system across Nebraska, Colorado, and Minnesota. He found great meaning in work that made a difference. About 30 years ago, a serious car accident and later a stroke ended his nursing career and left him using a wheelchair.
Undeterred, Bob returned to school and earned a Ph.D. in psychology, studying at the University of Arizona and the University of Minnesota. He worked as a therapist specializing in stroke and traumatic brain injury, as well as in recovery circles. He continues to write about addiction, recovery, and healing. He has been sober for 38 years and believes deeply in lifelong learning. Bob is currently completing a Ph.D. in metaphysics and is writing his dissertation on addiction recovery and the role of connection to God.
Bob is Catholic and belongs to the Marist tradition, attending St. Patrick’s on St. Paul’s East Side and Divine Virgin in the Como neighborhood. He enjoys reading (especially Stephen King and Dean Koontz), music, movies, coffee, and thoughtful conversation. Bob can drive, uses Metro Mobility, and prefers visits that start in the home. He has a very old Maine Coon cat, Tomasito, and asks that visitors not be allergic to cats. Bob is not an early riser, so phone calls are best after 10 a.m. Visits should take place at home as Bob uses a wheelchair and is at risk for falls.
