There”™s a tree Thomas Brunelle passes when he takes his 1996 Honda Valkyrie to work. “I”™ve been photographing it as the seasons change,” said Brunelle, who rides to his job at the Warwick campus of Bon Secours Health System ”“ which includes St. Anthony”™s Hospital, Mt. Alverno Center and the Shervier Pavilion, a 120-bed nursing home ”“ every chance he gets.
“I got my first ”˜electric bike”™ at 13, which my dad let me ride through the backwoods where I grew up in western Massachusetts. By 16, I had my own, and that”™s when I learned about defensive driving and the value of wearing a helmet; a car ran a stop sign and I plowed directly into it. Fortunately, the state had a helmet law at that time. It saved my life and also prepared me for mentally for the rest of my riding days. You”™re always watching out for the other guy.”
Motorcycling has provided Brunelle with “40 years of riding pleasure. I”™ve gone from an old German Horex (now we”™re really going back to the beginning) to a Harley and at one time, I owned a 1947 Indian.” His latest ride, a 1996 Honda Valkyrie, was wife Shelly”™s idea after another close call with death ”“ a heart attack.
While Brunelle is sincerely dedicated to making health care better for the patients who come through Bon Secours”™ campus in Warwick, he ignored his own health when he had chest pains in 2000. “The pain came and went, and because I had started a new exercise regimen, I played doctor and determined it was the exercise causing the pain. I stopped the exercise, but the pain didn”™t go away. When I started feeling this searing burning feeling, I finally told my wife I thought it was time for a checkup.”
That checkup revealed Brunelle was in the midst of having a heart attack. He was promptly put into the hospital where a stent opened a 95 percent blockage he had in an artery. Â
“My wife Shelly surprised me with the bike shortly after that experience,” he said. “What better way to help me relieve stress and find an outlet to relax than to ride? You become part of the landscape and can lose yourself ”“ enjoy every house, every tree you pass, and feel like you are in the midst of your surroundings. You”™re not confined in a car watching houses and farms go by; you”™re part of them. After my close call, it was the best therapy to get me back into a good frame of mind.”
Brunelle, who has been in the health care industry all his working days, started out as a respiratory therapist and decided that hospital administration was where he wanted to continue his career. “I feel I can do the most and help the most in administration. I think I was born for this career; caring for people has always been my main concern. Striving to create a better atmosphere, attract quality doctors and offer the best medical technology to our patients is my top priority.”
He”™s even taking better care of his own health after his close brush. “Had the cardiac care center been opened at our Good Samaritan campus at the time I had my heart attack, I would have gone there. Since we opened the Active International Heart Care Center, we”™ve had such a tremendous success rate we”™ve been chosen one of the top cardio-care centers in the U.S. We”™re pretty proud of that.”
When Brunelle is not making sure things are running smoothly at Bon Secours”™ Warwick campus, chances are you”™ll find him, along with his wife or youngest son, riding the back roads of Orange and Sullivan counties. “Hawk”™s Nest Drive is one of our favorites, up Route 209 and to Kingston and back,” said the one-time respiratory therapist turned administrator. He also participates in some charity rides, and likes to join the Orange County Choppers”™ fall ride.
“It”™s great to be a part of a group, you get to meet people from all different backgrounds but they have one common love: riding.”
Brunelle”™s seen an increase of bikes on the road, which he attributes to the gas crisis. “People who used their bikes strictly for pleasure are finding out they are also great on gas, especially when you are paying $3.50 at the pump, or higher. I”™ve also seen an increase in women riding. People have been doing it in Europe for years and I think we”™ve just caught up to our counterparts on the Continent.”
Brunelle says he”™s as much of a three-season rider as possible, noting, “Only ice and snow will keep me off the road.”
And that tree Brunelle”™s been photographing on his road trips to work? “So far, I”™ve caught it in three seasons…and I”™m going to catch it this spring and complete the cycle.”Â
Sounds like a pretty healthy plan of action.
