Video

I have been working on the big CF video the last few weeks. I'm in the final phase - getting the music approved (we are hoping to get approval on one of two songs - both are major hits from the last decade or so). This is something I've been thinking about for a while. I wanted people to know what it's like to have CF and to learn what a day in the life of someone with cystic fibrosis is like. I think the video will teach but it will also motivate.

Norfolk went really well. I spoke for about an hour at their CF Education Day in Virginia. I got back yesterday. I saw my good friend Carin Simon while I was there. She looks terrific.

Some have said that you have seen me on TV lately standing up for Andrea and talking about Rusty. I know some of you have told me that I'm making a mistake by doing this and others have told me that I'm doing a good thing. I appreciate the advice and the support. I'm doing what I think is right and that's good enough for me.

I'll write more later in the week.

I hope that everyone is well.

Andy

Guilty but Mentally Ill

A year and a half ago my friend Rusty was shot and killed for no reason. Today the man who did this has been put behind bars. Today Rusty Sneiderman has gotten justice. Rusty, I know that somewhere you are smiling with the news that the man who ended your life and hurt so many people will never be able to hurt anyone else again. I hope that this bit of news gives some type of closure to the entire Sneiderman family though we still have lost a wonderful husband, father, son, brother and friend.

Rusty, I promised I wouldn't write about the trial anymore so I'm not going to. I'm going to write about you. This is from the bottom of my heart. As I sit here, I don't know what to think. I'm crying right now because all I can think about was that I would rather this day had never come. I would rather that you be hanging out talking about the Browns draft or joking about your Wii fit. I'd rather you be giving Ian hitting tips for tee ball or telling me that you love my blog.

Rusty, I've gotten very angry over the last few months. 1) I've been very upset with how this trial was run and 2) I was angry because I had to see your murderer's face on the news almost every day.

I am sad right now that I can't see your reaction to the verdict. I am sad right now that you and I can't go to some dive and grab dinner. The last few weeks, I've had trouble even talking about this trial with anyone. I've probably pissed off a number of my friends. I wrote 2 blog posts and then stopped it there. I'm not an angry person but I have been so hurt with the way you and Andrea were portrayed. I have been nauseas lately just thinking about this trial. I've had to find innerpeace and was unable to do so.

Those people in that courtroom didn't know you. You would never have hurt your children. You and I used to joke how our kids ran our lives.

Sophia and Ian are going to be ok. I wanted you to know that. I will be there for them. A lot of people will. They are good kids. My kids love them to death. My Andrea and I love them to death.

We will remember you for the man you were and the person you made all of us become. Today, we got justice. You got justice. And while I assume I should be happy right now, I'm still mad. I'm mad that you're gone and the man who murdered you is still here. It just doesn't seem fair. I love you, buddy. I always will. Not a day goes by that I don't think about you. And while you had many dreams that you didn't get to accomplish, know that the people who you affected will accomplish them in your memory.

Sleep well my friend.

Love,

Andy

Lovin' the Show Me State

I had a terrific time speaking at CF Center Education Day in Missouri. I was the keynote speaker at the University of Missouri in Columbia (A place my Dawgs will be visiting in September for Missouri's first SEC home game).

The people were so nice. Special thanks to Erin (picture attached), Kecia, Natalie and Dr. Acton (picture attached). There were many more wonderful people. I spoke for an hour to a few hundred people (including several people with CF) about my life with CF and tried to inspire the group. I wore a mask while I spoke to promote safety and I was happy that all of the patients also wore their masks. Per Kecia, it was the best CF Day they've had since she's been there and many people were repeating things I said from my speech. I'm happy that my speech made a positive impact on people.

The funny part was they heard about fondness for gummy bears during my speech so attached was my award after speaking.

I made several contacts while I was there and I think I might have some more speeches coming up after Virginia and Ireland over the next few months.

Today I completed Day 53 of P90X. I can't believe that I only have 37 days to go. I recently saw that they have come up with P90X 2 or something like that. I'm not even thinking about that right now. I will say I feel really strong. I ran for 17 minutes on the treadmill, 15 minutes in place before that and did my hour of P90X all this morning and YES I still plan to do a light workout at lunch. If I'm going to preach about working hard in the gym when I give speeches, then it is up to me to practice what I preach.

I hope that everyone is well.

Andy

Back to what made this blog special

I have decided that while I support my friend Andrea and believe in her very much and I loved Rusty very much that continuing to talk about this topic is not the purpose of my blog. This subject is extremely controversial and while it works for some blogs, it doesn't work for mine. That's not why people signed up.

The purpose of my blog is to give hope to people who are suffering with disease or emotional distress. In the future, starting today in fact, I will focus on what I do to stay strong with a terminal genetic disorder.

Thank you to those of you who gave your opinions whether they were pro-Andrea or not. I believe that everyone is entitled to their opinions. I hope that my friends and the followers of this blog understand my reasons for ceasing talk about this case. I just feel that the reason I started this blog is being compromised and it can't go on any further. I know that Rusty loved my blog and he always told me to keep writing about things that will inspire others. Buddy, I remember your words and starting today, that's indeed what I shall do.

I hope that everyone is well. Live your dreams and love your life!

Andy

Getting ready for Missouri; A look back at my fight

Hello everyone,

I'm looking forward to my speech in Missouri and I just solidified the plans for Ireland. Andrea will be joining me for this trip. We can't wait!

As far as P90X goes, I'm down to 177 pounds and am working out like a fiend. I worked out for 40 minutes this morning plus I ran in place for 17 minutes while doing my therapy. Then at lunch today, I swam 14 laps, ran a mile and rode the bike for 3 miles. At 38, an age I wasn't supposed to get to with cystic fibrosis, I feel like I'm in the best shape of my entire life. I enclosed a picture that I took this morning because I look back at the picture of me as a young kid (also enclosed) and I see that I always had that fight in me. It just took a while before I finally let it out. Back then, no one thought CF could stand for Cure Found; more likely people assumed it stood for Can't Fight. Now while there is no cure yet, all of us Can Fight and Will Fight!

Thanks to all of you who have bought a book. The sales have been really good. We just eclipsed over $10K in book sales. If you'd like a signed copy of "The Drive at 35," please click the link www.andylipman.com/books.cfm. Thanks.

Wish for Wendy received a grant for 2012 as well for $25K so we were thrilled about that. We'll start the planning for 2012 in late April. It's a nice start to the year.

To those of you who are having health issues, keep fighting. To those of you who are doing well, don't let up. To those of you feel that life is unfair, there is someone out there doing far worse than you who believes the opposite. Stay strong.

Live your dreams and Love your life,

Andy

An update from the trial today and I miss Rusty

9:39 a.m. Monday - When interviewing Hemy Neuman, Lt. Barnes says that Hemy said that "he had feelings for Andrea Sneiderman." But he denied having sexual relations with Mrs. Sneiderman.

This same guy told the real estate agent that he did have sexual relations with Andrea.

Hmmmm...my point is that this man cannot be trusted. However if I was a neutral party, I would think that his statement to the police should be more trusted than any comments that he made to his real estate agent.

I hope the media makes a point to mention this. I've been asked to come on several media outlets to speak on Andrea's behalf. I'm not doing so because I respect the privacy that Andrea and her family need. I am allowing all media outlets to use my blog for their website as this is my way of defending Andrea.

This is also something from Andrea's attorney this past weekend:

"Mrs. Sneiderman knew she was going to get beaten up on the witness stand," lawyer Seth Kirschenbaum said in a statement provided exclusively to the AJC. "[She] has always cooperated in this case, and she wanted to help the prosecution even if it meant being subjected to withering attack."

Andrea was very brave for subjecting herself to this but that's the type of person our Andrea is. She doesn't care what you think about her. She cares that this horrible man get sent to prison for the rest of his life so that no one else is ever subjected to his predatory actions.

Here is something that many of you may not know about Andrea:

During the funeral in which I gave a eulogy for my friend, Andrea was a mess. She could barely walk. I saw her cry. I saw the pain in her eyes. I saw the hurt. Andrea is a tough woman. She is a project manager so on trial you see a woman who wants to take control of the situation because that's how she's wired. Some people see the way she acts and immediately perceive that she's mean. That's not it at all. If you see her at home, you'll see a different picture. You'll see how much this trial and losing her husband has done to her. I've seen or heard her cry more than a dozen times I'm sure. I've seen all the pictures that she put around the house of her husband. She loved him and she was committed to him.

I have also had many people tell me that I don't know much of this story. Trust me, I do. My friend is innocent and I will continue to be by her side in this. I know how much she loved her husband. I saw it on many occasions - prior to and after his untimely death. There are a lot of people who back me on this as well. I hope they will make comments on my blog to support our friend.

This trial is dividing a community and it's a shame. I don't like the fact that there is one attorney in particular that is using this awful tragedy for her own selfish personal gain.

Two children lost a father. A wife lost a husband. Two parents lost a son. A brother lost his brother. Several children lost an uncle. And there are people like myself who lost a good friend. This is not an event to find your 15 minutes of fame.

Since my blog has picked up local and even national exposure, let me tell you about the man that was Rusty Sneiderman.

In order to repay me for dinner once, he fixed the gutter at our house.

Our conversations always ended with him saying, "How can I help you to further your career?" He was a very unselfish person who gave to so many charities and who made his friends feel like they always received his undivided attention.

He was the sponsorship chairman of our softball tournament and helped us to raise more money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. With Rusty's help, we've raised over $1.25 million in a dozen years.

He loved his wife and he adored his children. He was a great dad and husband.

He had a terrific sense of humor. He hated his Wii FIT because it told him he was out of shape for his age. He told me he couldn't understand what he was doing paying for a machine to tell him that he was obese and old.

We miss him every day and when this trial is over, his death will be avenged but all of us will still have lost out because we lost our Rusty.

Because he meant so much to me, I included a chapter about Rusty in my book The Drive at 35 (www.andylipman.com/books.cfm). If you want to learn more about the man that made me a better man and did so much for so many, please get a signed copy.

Please keep the Sneiderman family in your prayers specifically Andrea and her two beautiful children.

Andy

Speaking

I had a speech this Sunday morning at the Selig Center to a couple of hundred people. It went extremely well. I sold a few books and received a standing ovation at the end. I would say it was my best reception to date and I was proud to speak to caregivers and developmentally disabled individuals. There were a lot of true inspirations in that room.

I am off to Missouri soon for another speech at the University of Missouri. I'm looking forward to that speech as well.

I have been a bit consumed in the trial, but I'm also trying to not consume myself too much with it. It's difficult though knowing my friend is having to deal with so much. My blog has been put on many local and national websites so I've heard from several individuals in the media. I am declining all interviews out of respect for Andrea Sneiderman and her family. I will blog about the trial once a week so not to over-consume everyone with it. I know most of you are here to learn about my battle with cystic fibrosis.

I'm around day 45 now of P90X. I continue to see a difference in the way I look and the way I feel.

I hope all of you are well.

Andy