Before my mother passed away I had found a magic in my life that seemed to radiate from me.  But when she passed away in 1984 of breast cancer at 52 years of age I lost that magic.  I had loved all things movies, and especially Disney movies, so I dove headfirst into an overindulgence of everything Disney because it was one of the most magical times of my life to sit and watch a Mickey Mouse cartoon or see Pollyanna.  I especially liked the music that went along with everything Disney, from the amusement Parks to the animation and even to Disney movies.  I had thought the magic had gone out of my life forever, but I was wrong. I met one of the most wonderful musicians or should I say magicians, because everything he and his brother did was magical.  They wrote music that got you through your work day with pleasure.  Goodness gracious, they even wrote a song that helped children take their medicine.  And who do you think made being a chimney sweep sound like the greatest job in the world.

 We went to a Disneyanna Convention at Walt Disney World and I so much wanted to meet Richard Sherman, yes that’s right, one of the musical writing team of Richard and Robert Sherman, the Sherman Brothers, who wrote almost every one of the Disney songs that you remember as a child.  I was so hoping he was as good a human being as I dreamed he would be.  Remember that a dream is a wish your heart makes and dreams do come true. Richard Sherman was not only a good person, he was a wonderful man. He seemed almost delighted to meet us and, believe me, I’ve met plenty of older movie stars and famous people in my time and they don’t all think very much about meeting you.  Let me tell you, meeting Richard Sherman was like meeting a beloved uncle you haven’t seen in years. As we introduced ourselves he was shocked and surprised when I told him I was married to this lovely lady named Ursula. He immediately stopped the introductions and I don’t remember how long he said they had been married but he said I am married to an Ursula too.  So you see, we had a special bonding moment as much as one can with a total stranger, but let me tell you if you’ve ever met Richard Sherman you know what I’m about to say is the absolute truth. Richard Sherman has never met a stranger in his life. His love for people shines about him wherever he goes and God bless him wherever that life may take him.  We were lucky enough to have met Richard Sherman in 1997 and then again in 2000.

I don’t remember, I don’t think it was at this show where we met Robert Sherman but it was also another show that Haley Mills was appearing at and we walked around and rushed around trying to get upstairs to where we could meet her and they closed the line off just as I got there.  I’ve always been extremely understanding of exactly how much time and effort a star puts into meeting and greeting their fans at this kind of a show, so I did not raise a fuss. I just understood and watched her from a distance but you know I would not have brought it up if that would have been the end of the story.  Lo and behold, a couple of years later she was scheduled to come to a Knoxville, Tennessee,  so Ursula and I secured the proper days off so that we could go and meet her.  As life plays horrible tricks on all of us that meeting was not to be, you see her wonderful father, the actor John Mills had just passed away.  He too had been in a wonderful Disney movie, The Swiss Family Robinson. My heart was broken again and this time not just for missing out on meeting Haley Mills but because the world had lost another great man, God give him rest in peace, John Mills. 

We thought maybe there would be a slight possibility that she might be there the next year. My prayers were answered. She was there the next year and my wife and I carried her a bouquet of pink roses.  She was astonished and did not know how to react to someone bringing her roses and she was so delighted with that and, after we had paid for our autographs, she gave us another one free.  It’s not necessarily the magic of Disney that rekindled the spark the magic, but it was more like the people behind Disney that brought back the magic in my life.  So if you’ve ever wondered why my BMW has Mickey Mouse seat covers, steering we’ll cover and floor mats, this might give you just a little insight as to why.  I have met at least 100 or more Disney alumni and I’m here to tell you that I do not remember any of them being less than gracious and taking loving care to give us the autographs that we wanted.  They usually give up their time unselfishly especially when there is a child present.  I truly believe that the legacy that Walt Disney himself left behind is not the magic of the movies, it’s not the magic of theme Parks, what it is, is the love that he had for his creations and those that helped him create it.  They all, the Disney alumni, take great pains to show this love to all of us and I personally wish to thank them for helping me regain that childish love of magic and zest for life that they all seem to have.  God has always brought me back from the brink of despair and depression in some of the most marvelous ways and using some of the most marvelous people that have ever come into my life.  Thank you my Lord and thank you to all of those that have been a part of my life.