Parkinson’s patient lives his dream, becomes ski bum at age 47

ELDORA For 30 years Rick Reuter had dreamed of moving to Colorado to be a ski bum, and when it finally became a reality on a majestic blue-sky morning last week at Eldora Mountain Resort, it felt like a miracle. Rick and his wife, Traci, remembered the days when he was unable to dress himself, feed himself or roll over in bed without her help because of Parkinson's disease. And that wasn't such a long time ago.

"You have no idea how happy I am right now," Traci said as Rick clicked into his skis for the first time in eight years, a beatific smile on his face.

He was a little nervous on the first lift ride, wondering whether he would be able to catch himself if he lost his balance, but he skied beautifully. No snowplow turns for Colorado's newest ski bum. His skis were parallel, boots inches apart, turns graceful on a perfectly groomed slope they had almost to themselves.

"I felt like me again," said Rick, 47.

"I felt that way too," said Traci, 42. "I felt like, 'Oh, my gosh, we just went back in time. We just went back 15 years.' "

Rick and Traci were avid skiers when he was diagnosed 13 years ago. Living in Elgin, Ill., they continued to go on annual ski vacations until his deteriorating physical condition made that impossible. Then a series of brain sur- geries two years ago gave him back most of his physical abilities, and this year they decided it was time for him to live his dream of being a ski bum at last.

They rented their house in Illinois to relatives, sold almost everything they owned, packed the rest of their belongings in a 12-foot U-Haul trailer and moved to Broomfield six weeks ago.

For Traci, watching Rick ski Wednesday brought back memories of their courtship 20 years ago. He was such a beautiful skier then, it was exciting for her just to watch him.

Rick Reuter, 47, left, and his wife, Traci, at Eldora Mountain Resort on Wednesday, are thrilled to be new residents of Colorado. After a series of brain surgeries, Rick is back on the slopes. "He taught me (to ski), and it became my favorite thing in the whole wide world to do," Traci says. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)

"I'll never forget the first time I saw him come down the mountain," Traci said. "It was just beautiful. There was a piece of me that was like, 'That's my boyfriend, wow!' For me it's always been a part of who he is. These last several years, I don't love him any less, I love him more, to see his courage. I've seen when he can't move. I've seen when he can't get out of bed. To see him ski like it was no big deal today was amazing."

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Parkinson's patient lives his dream, becomes ski bum at age 47