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TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE U.S.

SUPREME COURT TODAY EXPANDED PRESIDENTIAL POWER TO FIRE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS BUT ALSO RULED AGAINST A PLAN BY THE PRESIDENT TO RESTRICT MAIL-IN VOTING.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, A NEW TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND RECOVERY PROGRAM FOR VETERANS.

>>> AND A FORMER PHOENIX JOURNALIST STARTS A PODCAST TO HELP SHARE HER PERSONAL HISTORY LIVING WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE U.S.

SUPREME COURT TODAY DELIVERED TWO MAJOR RULINGS.

ONE DEALS WITH PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY OVER INDEPENDENT FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND THE OTHER ALLOWS STATES TO ACCEPT MAIL-IN BALLOTS AFTER POLLS CLOSE PROVIDED THAT THOSE BALLOTS ARE POSTMARKED BY ELECTION DAY.

WE WELCOME STEPHEN MONTOYA FROM MONTOYA LUCERO AND PASTOR.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

LET'S START WITH THE LATE ARRIVING MAIL-IN BALLOT THAT DOESN'T AFFECT ARIZONA BUT AFFECTS 18 SOME ODD OTHER STATES?

>> IT DOES.

AND IN MY VIEW, IT'S ONLY TEMPORARILY IMPORTANT.

THE COURT BASICALLY CONCLUDED THAT FEDERAL LAW DOES NOT CONTROL WHETHER OR NOT A STATE ACCEPTS BALLOTS THAT WERE MAILED TIMELY, BUT RECEIVED UNTIMELY, AND THAT'S UP TO EACH STATE.

EACH STATE CAN CHANGE THAT.

IN FACT, THIS CASE AROSE IN MISSISSIPPI, AND MISSISSIPPI IS ALREADY PLANNING TO CHANGE IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO RESTRICT VOTING.

WHAT'S THAT THIS IS REALLY ALL ABOUT.

IT'S RESTRICTING VOTING.

THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A TREND.

WHOEVER THINKS THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VOTES OR WANTS TO SUPPRESS VOTING, FINDS WAYS TO RESTRICT IT.

THAT IS NOT NEW.

THAT IS QUITE OLD, AND THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CASE.

TED: BUT IN THIS CASE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE CONSTITUTION IS PRETTY CLEAR HERE THAT GIVES AUTHORITY REGARDING ELECTIONSES TO THE STATES AND NOT TO THE EXECUTIVE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

UNLESS CONGRESS RULES THE CONTRARY, IN REFERENCE TO FEDERAL ELECTIONS, AND I DID SAY CONGRESS.

I KNOW THE PRESIDENT HAS ISSUED A LOT OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS.

TED: RIGHT.

>> WITH THE PRETENSE OF CONTROLLING VOTING.

THAT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

THAT IS THE IN THE PRESIDENT'S JOB.

THAT'S CONGRESS' JOB AND WHEN CONGRESS DOESN'T SPEAK, IT'S UP TO EACH STATE.

TED: AND THE AUTHORITY SEEMS CLEAR, THIS WAS A 5-4 VOTE, IT WAS CLOSE?

>> IT WAS CLOSE.

AND AS WE WERE DISCUSSING EARLIER, GETTING JUDGES TO AGREE ON ANYTHING IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.

YOU KNOW, THE JUSTICES ARE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE ORIGINAL INTENT AS IF THERE WERE ONE ORIGINAL INTENT.

THE SUBJECT OF WHAT THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE FRAMERS WAS OR THE RATIFIERS WERE IS RIDICULOUS.

THERE WAS NO ORIGINAL INTENT.

THERE WERE CONFLICTING ORIGINAL INTENTS.

>> INTERESTING.

INTERESTING.

THE SECOND BIG ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY, RULING, DECISION, REGARDING THE PRESIDENT BEING ABLE TO FIRE THE HEADS OF QUOTE, UNQUOTE INDEPENDENT AGENCIES.

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

>> WELL, THOSE WERE VERY IMPORTANT CASES.

FOR A LONG TIME, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TRIED TO RESTRICT PARTISANSHIP IN CERTAIN AREAS.

IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FOUNDING WITH THE BANK OF NORTH AMERICA AS THE COURT NOTED.

THE FIRST BANK OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE SECOND BANK OF THE UNITED STATES, THESE BANKS CONTROL THE MONEY SUPPLY BY CONTROLLING INTEREST RATES, BY PRINTING MONEY OR REGULATING THE PRINTING OF MONEY.

IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING.

IF IT BECOMES PARTISAN, ALL HECK BREAKS LOOSE ECONOMICALLY, AND POLITICIANS START MANIPULATING THE MONEY SUPPLY IN A WAY THAT ULTIMATELY LEADS TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ECONOMY, THAT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST THREE TIMES IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA.

SO OUR LEADERS HAVE WISELY DECIDED TO TRY TO DEPOLITICIZE THE ISSUE OF CONTROLLING THE MONEY SUPPLY AND CONTROLLING CREDIT RATES, BY MEANS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE POLITICALLY NEUTRAL, AND YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO GET RID OF A GOVERNOR OF THE BOARD OF FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD UNLESS YOU CAN SHOW GOOD CAUSE.

IN 111 YEARS, IT'S NEVER HAPPENED.

TRUMP TRIED IT IN THIS CASE, AND THE COURT SAID HE COULDN'T, THAT IT WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

TED: AND YET THE COURT ALSO SAID THAT HE COULD WITH OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.

THIS SOUNDS LIKE A BIG EXPANSION OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP NOW, AND TO ALL FUTURE PRESIDENTS.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE IT BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, AND I FOUND THE COURT'S OPINION IN THE SLAUGHTER CASE REGARDING THE FTC COMMISSIONER SAYING THAT TRUMP COULD FIRE HER WITHOUT FINDING OF CAUSE FOR NO REASON AT ALL, EVEN THOUGH HE APPOINTED HER, AND SHE WAS A REPUBLICAN.

I FOUND THAT TO BE KIND OF LAUGHABLE BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING IT WENT BACK TO THE FOUNDERS, AND THE ORIGINAL INTENT, AND ONCE AGAIN, WHEN YOU READ THE NOTES FROM THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, THERE WAS NO ORIGINAL INTENT.

THE BEST INDICATION OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT IS FOUND IN THE WORDS OF THE CONSTITUTION, AND THE CONSTITUTION SILENT TO THIS ISSUE.

THIS WAS A POLICY DECISION THAT REALLY WASN'T THE COURTS TO MAKE, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE BY CONGRESS.

TED: YET THE CHIEF JUSTICE SAYS THIS IS A CASE OF SEPARATION OF POWERS.

HE NEEDS TO HAVE THIS BECAUSE OF SEPARATION OF -- DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

>> NO, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME.

I UNDERSTAND THE SEPARATION OF POWERS BUT YOU COULD JUST AS EASILY CONCLUDE THAT WHAT THE COURT HAS DONE IS VIOLATED THE SEPARATION OF POWERS SAYS IT'S BASICALLY HAM STRUNG CONGRESS.

IT'S ALSO GOING TO RESULT IN A MESS BECAUSE, AS THIS ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE ILLUSTRATED, THE PRESIDENT CAN STYMIE THE WILL OF CONGRESS BY NOT ACTUALLY EXECUTING CONGRESS' INTENT, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENED TODAY.

IT'S HAPPENED IN OTHER ADMINISTRATIONS.

HAPPENED IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

IT HAPPENS IN ALL ADMINISTRATIONS.

UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, CONGRESS IS PRIMARY, NOT THE PRESIDENCY.

WE TALK ABOUT CO-EQUAL BRANCHES.

THAT'S NOT WHAT THE FRAMERS HAD IN MIND.

THE FRAMERS HAD IN MIND THAT CONGRESS WOULD BE THE PRIMARY MOVER OF NATIONAL LEGISLATION, NOT THE PRESIDENT, NOT THE COURTS.

TED: REAL QUICKLY BEFORE YOU GO, THE SUPREME COURT AGREED TO TAKE UP A COUPLE OF CASES HERE INVOLVING ARIZONA.

ONE INVOLVES PURGING VOTER ROLLS, AND THE OTHER REGARDING MANDATING PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP FOR VOTER REGISTRATION.

THIS MEANS NEXT SESSION, THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE FRONT AND CENTER AND THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO AFFECT A LOT OF STATES, ARE THEY NOT?

>> THEY ARE.

THEY'RE GOING TO AFFECT OUR STATE AND, IN FACT, OUR VOTING SYSTEM.

THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT -- THE STATE LEGISLATURE DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO FORCE PEOPLE TO PROVE CITIZENSHIP AT THE BALLOT.

CONGRESS COULD DO THAT, IF IT WANTED TO, AND IT HASN'T DONE IT YET.

IT'S NEVER DONE IT IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY, AND I CONSEQUENTLY THINK ALL THOSE LAWS ARE GOING TO BE DECLARED INVALID.

>> THE LOWER COURTS SAID NO, AND THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE TOOK IT TO THE SUPREME COURT AND TODAY SAID -- >> THEY ACCEPTED IT, THEY DID.

TED: YES.

TOMORROW LIKELY BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, THAT WILL BE ANOTHER BIG ISSUE.

STEPHEN, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU, SIR.

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TED: A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY PROVIDER, AXIOM OPENED A HOUSING CENTER IN PHOENIX HONORING THE LATE JOHN McCAIN, TO HELP VETERANS RECOVERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, TRAUMA AND HOMELESSNESS, JOINING US NOTICE IS BRAD BRIDWELL, COO OF VICTORY PLACE, AND VERN JOHNSON, CEO OF AXIOM CARE.

I THINK I GOT IT ALL IN THERE.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

TED: LET'S START WITH AXIOM, VERN, LET'S START WITH VICTORY PLACE, WHAT EXACTLY IS VICTORY PLACE?

>> A VERY INTENTIONALLY DEVELOPED, WE'RE A SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING DEVELOPER FOR HOMELESS VETERANS PRIMARILY AND FORMERLY AT-RISK VETERANS AND ESTABLISHED THE CAMPUS IN 2001 AND HAVE BEEN OPERATING NOW FOR 25 YEARS.

AS THE NEEDS HAVE CHANGED FOR VETERANS, WE HAVE FOUND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH AXIOM TO ADDRESS THE TREATMENT AND COMMUNITY REBUILDING NEEDS OF VETERANS ON OUR CAMPUS.

TED: INDEED, AXIOM IS AT VICTORY PLACE, WHAT IS AXIOM?

>> A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COMPANY, WE WERE FOUNDED 15 YEARS AGO IN THE VALLEY.

WE PROVIDE DETOX, RESIDENTIAL, OUTPATIENT AND INTEGRATED CARE.

WE HAVE PHYSICIANS, PSYCHIATRISTS, NURSE, DOCTORS, THE WHOLE TEAM, AND WE SPECIALIZE IN WORKING WITH VETERANS, NATIVE AMERICAN POPULATIONS AND THE JUSTICE POPULATION.

TED: AND THE NEW JOHN McCAIN VETERAN CENTER, HOW DOES THAT ENHANCE WHAT DO YOU?

>> WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE VETERANS.

THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, WE HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE BEFORE YOU CAN START THINKING ABOUT OTHER THINGS, AND IN PARTICULAR WITH THE VETERANS, WE CAN WORK WITH THEM IN OUR DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, JOB TRAINING, ART THERAPY, A MYRIAD OF SERVICES.

THE BEAUTY OF THIS PLACE IS ONCE THEY FINISH TYPICALLY A 90-DAY PROGRAM, THEY HAVE HOUSING AT VICTORY PLACE LONG-TERM.

TED: I WAS GOING TO SAY VICTORY PLACE COMES INTO PLAY HERE, SOUNDS LIKE A NATURAL FIT.

>> IT IS, BUT ONE THAT'S OFTEN NOT PUT TOGETHER, AND HOMELESSNESS, INCARCERATION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL ILLNESS, THESE ARE ALL EXTREMELY ISOLATING CONDITIONS, EXPERIENCES FOR PEOPLE.

SO THE BEST WAY TO COMBAT THAT IS THROUGH COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD A SUPPORTED COMMUNITY WHERE VETERANS CAN RECOVER.

TED: A COUPE HUNDRED APARTMENTS AT VICTORY PLACE?

>> 191 PERMANENT UNITS AND 60 TRANSITIONAL HOUSING BEDS.

>> THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SITUATION, YOU GET THROUGH TRANSITIONAL, WELCOME TO VICTORY PLACE, IS THAT HOW IT WORKS?

>> EXACTLY.

YOU SIGN A LEASE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE OUT THERE AND START CONTRIBUTING FINANCIALLY TO YOUR OWN RECOVERY, PAYING YOUR OWN WAY WHILE STAYING CLOSE TO FOLLOW-UP CARE FROM AXIOM.

TED: FOLLOW-UP CARE, AND I WOULD IMAGINE PEOPLE YOU KNOW, SOCIAL, FRIENDS.

>> YEAH, WE HAVE A FULL CONTINUUM OF CARE.

MANY TIMES FOLKS WHO ARE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER WILL START WITH A DETOX LEVEL OF CARE.

WE HAVE AN OBSERVATION UNIT WHERE FOLKS COME AND DETERMINE WHAT LEVEL OF CARE THEY NEED.

IF THEY NEED DETOX LEVEL OF CARE, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT IN OCOTILLO CAMPUS IN APACHE JUNCTION.

WE MOVE FOLKS MANY TIME INTO RESIDENTIAL CARE WHICH IS 30 TO 90 DAYS, DEPENDING ON THE NEED, AND THEN MOVE THEM TO THE VICTORY PLACE, JOHN McCAIN CENTER WHERE THEY RECEIVE OUTPATIENT CARE, JOB TRAINING AND COUNCILING SERVICES.

TED: AT VICTORY PLACE, DID YOU HAVE TO MOVE THINGS AROUND?

>> NO, VICTORY PLACE WAS PURPOSE BUILT FOR THIS TYPE OF CONTINUUM OF CARE.

TED: YEAH?

>> WHAT HAS CHANGED LARGELY OVER TIME IS THE INTRODUCTION OF DRUG USE THAT HAS INCREASED OVER THE PAST -- OPIOID CONDITIONS OVER THE PAST DECADE.

TED: PTSD, BIG FACTOR, ISN'T IT?

>> IT'S A BIG FACTOR.

YOU HAVE PTSD, YOU HAVE UNTREATED MENTAL ILLNESSES AND OTHERWISE HAVE THE DRUG ADDICTION THAT INTERPLAYS.

WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS ALL THE ASPECTS.

THE UNDERLYING.

TED: YEAH, VERN, I READ UP THE PTSD IS PERSONAL TO YOU, ISN'T IT?

>> YES, YES, I GREW UP IN A MILITARY FAMILY.

MY DAD WAS IN WORLD WAR II AND SPENT HIS WHOLE LIFE WITH A SEVERE CASE OF PTSD BUT WASN'T DIAGNOSED IN THE OLD DAYS, WHEN I WAS YOUNG.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED BUT SEEING THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE CLIENTS HAVE SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS IN ADDITION TO THEIR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, AND I WAS SPEAKING TO JIM McCAIN THIS MORNING AND HE GAVE ME INTERESTING STATISTICS SAYING 22 VETERANS COMMIT SUICIDE EVERY DAY, WHICH IS TEN TIMES MORE THAN FOLKS -- VETERANS THAT ARE KILLED IN ACTION.

TED: THAT'S A SOBERING, SOBERING THOUGHT.

McCAIN FAMILY VERY MUCH ON BOARD WITH THIS, I WOULD IMAGINE?

>> YES, YES, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH AMBASSADOR McCAIN AND HER FAMILY.

TED: HOW LONG HAS THE McCAIN CENTER BEEN THERE?

>> JUST ABOUT A YEAR.

TED: WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AS FAR AS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY?

WHAT ARE YOU EXPERIENCING?

>> WELL, WE'RE EXPERIENCING REALLY A REBIRTH, REALLY RESOLIDIFYING A GROUP OF VETERANS ALL ENGAGED IN THE SAME ACTIVITY STARTING TO REBUILD THE CAMARADERIE AND UNIT KIND OF FOCUS THAT THEY HAD IN THE MILITARY.

TED: YES.

>> IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

THE SEPARATION FROM MILITARY TO CIVILIAN LIFE IS PRETTY TRAUMATIC FOR EVERY SEPARATING SERVICEMEMBER, SO WHEN YOU START ADDING THESE OTHER FACTORS, IT JUST COMPOUNDS.

TED: WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF STORIES ON THAT.

THAT TRANSITION CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THOSE THAT ARE THE BEST ADJUSTED.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

TED: WHERE CAN PEOPLE LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OF THIS?

>> AXIOM CARE AZ.COM, AND JUST GIVE US A CALL.

TED: ALL RIGHT, VERN JOHNSON, AXIOM CARE, BRAD BRIDWELL VICTORY PLACE, CONGRATULATIONS AND CONTINUED SUCCESS.

>> THANK YOU.

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TED: LISA VOLENEC IS A FORMER PHOENIX JOURNALIST AND NEWS EXECUTIVE WHO IN 2024 ANNOUNCED SHE HAD BEEN LIVING WITH EARLY ONSET PARKINSON'S DISEASE WEAR TEN YEARS WHILE CONTINUING HER CAREER.

SHE CREATED A PODCAST TITLED THIS IS PARKINSON'S TO OFFER INSIGHT, SHARE ADVICE AND INTERVIEW PROFESSIONALS AND OTHERS LIVING WITH THE DISEASE.

WE WELCOME LISA VOLENEC TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, TED, GREAT TO BE HERE.

TED: THIS IS PARKINSON'S A PODCAST, I MENTIONED SHARING ADVICE AND INTERVIEWING OTHERS.

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED WITH A PODCAST?

IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

>> WELL, I GUESS THIS IS PARKINSON'S IS BECAUSE THIS MEANS SO MANY THINGS, YOU MEET ONE PARKINSON'S PATIENT, YOU MEET ONE PARKINSON'S PATIENT, AND THE SYMPTOMS AFFECT PEOPLE SO DIFFERENTLY.

IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE STORIES AND CREATE AN AUTHENTIC CONNECTION IN COMMUNITY.

EVERYBODY I'VE INTERVIEWED, THEY ARE MY FRIENDS, WE KEEP IN TOUCH, WE TALK TO EACH OTHER, WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND KEEP THAT COMMON BOND AND FIGHTING AN INCURABLE, NEUROLOGICAL BRAIN DISORDER TOGETHER.

TED: TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR STORY.

WHAT WERE YOUR SYMPTOMS?

DID YOU KNOW SOMETHING SERIOUS WAS GOING ON HERE?

HOW DID ALL OF THIS GET STARTED?

>> I WAS LIVING IN ARIZONA MOWING MY GRASS, I HAD GRATS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT IN ARIZONA, AND I NOTICED WHEN I WOULD GET DONE DOING THE YARD WORK, MY HAND SHOOK A LITTLE BIT.

SO I WENT TO MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN FOR SOMETHING ELSE AND MENTIONED IT, HE SAID IT'S PROBABLY NOTHING, BUT I'M GOING TO SEND YOU TO A NEUROLOGIST AND FELT WITHIN FIVE MINUTES SHE TOLD ME I HAD EARLY ONSET PARKINSON'S, JUST DOING ROUTINE WALKING AND LITTLE MOVEMENTS AND SHE COULD MAKE THAT DIAGNOSIS, I TOLD HER SHE WAS CRAZY AND I WALKED OUT.

TED: MY GOODNESS.

DID YOU SENSE SOMETHING WAS GOING ON?

DID THE SHAKING NOT STOP?

>> IT WAS VERY MILD IN THE BEGINNING BUT THERE WERE OTHER THINGS I NOTICED.

I NOTICED I WAS WALKING SLOWER, AND THEN OF COURSE, I CONSULTED DR.

GOOGLE, YOU KNOW, AND WAS REGION 8 READING ABOUT OTHER SYMPTOMS WITH THINGS AND I DID SEE A MOVEMENT DISORDER SPECIALIST AT THE MAYO CLINIC IN ARIZONA AND HE CONFIRMED THE DIAGNOSIS SEPTEMBER 17 OF 2014.

TED: 2014, BECAUSE YOU WORKED UNTIL 2024, CORRECT?

>> I WORKED ACTUALLY UNTIL DECEMBER OF 2025.

TED: WOW.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO DO THAT?

AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT YOUR CONDITION, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT, AND I HAD -- I WAS JUST TRYING TO HIDE IT.

I WAS A SINGLE WOMAN CLIMBING A CORPORATE LADDER, AND IT WASN'T THAT I THOUGHT MY EMPLOYERS WOULD UNDERSTAND, BUT I WANTED TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND NOT LET A DISEASE DEFINE MY SUCCESS.

I KEPT IT QUIET.

A LOT OF FOLKS DID WITH EARLY ONSET, YOU ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT YOU FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD AND SUCH, SO YOU WANT TO KEEP IT QUIET AND I KEPT IT VERY QUIET.

MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND A VERY SMALL GROUP OF FRIENDS AND NOVEMBER OF 2024, A FRIEND, A VERY PUBLIC FRIEND, AN ARIZONA GIRL, I ATTENDED THE MICHAEL J. FOX GALA WITH STEVIE NICKS AND SHE INADVERTENTLY OUTED ME ON THE RED CARPET.

IF YOU HAVE TO COME OUT WITH A DISEASE, WHAT A GREAT FUNCTION THAN WITH STEVIE NICKS.

TED: I GOT TO ASK YOU, TEN YEARS AS A BROADCAST EXECUTIVE, YOU WERE A GENERAL MANAGER, THAT CAN BE REALLY, REALLY STRESSFUL, THAT CAN'T BE GOOD FOR EARLY ONSET PARKINSON'S?

>> NO, MY DOCTORS HAD BEEN TELLING ME MANY YEARS PRIOR TO STEPPING AWAY, SOONER OR LATER I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT.

I COULD TELL, WHEN THERE WERE PARTICULARLY STRESSFUL DAYS THAT EXACERBATED SYMPTOMS, I WOULD SHUT THE DOORS TO MY OFFICE BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO HIDE THE SYMPTOMS FROM STAFF.

TED: STEVIE NICKS, HOW DID SHE KNOW ABOUT YOUR CONDITION AND NO ONE ELSE DID?

>> SHE WAS IN MY FIGHT CLUB.

WE DON'T TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUBS, BUT MY SISTER AND I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS WITH HER OVER 30 YEARS.

WHEN I HAD DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION SURGERY, SHE SAID I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU TO THE MICHAEL J. FOX GALA, AND I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO ANOTHER STEVIE NICKS SHOW WHICH I HAD DONE DOZENS OF TIMES IN MY LIFE.

TED: THE REACTION WHEN YOU TOLD FOLKS WHAT YOU WERE LIVING WITH AND HOW YOU USED THAT REACTION NOW FOR THE PODCAST MOVING FORWARD?

>> RIGHT.

THE REACTION WAS BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T -- YOU DON'T WANT SOMEBODY TO FEEL SORRY FOR YOU OR TREAT YOU DIFFERENTLY, BUT MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T KNOW SHOWED UP IN WAYS I COULD NEVER IMAGINE AND HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE.

I'VE BEEN A CAREER JOURNALIST MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND OKAY, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NOW?

I'M GOING TO USE STORY TELLING TO HELP OTHERS AND CREATE THIS AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO CAN COME TOGETHER AND SHARE A COMMON DISCUSSION AND HELP EACH OTHER GET THROUGH IT.

TED: HAS IT CHANGED YOU AND HOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH PARKINSON'S?

>> COMPLETELY.

IT HEALS ME.

I DID A PODCAST BEFORE JUMPING ON WITH YOU GUYS, JUST TALKING WITH THESE PEOPLE AND THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PARKINSON'S ARE SO INCREDIBLE, AND THEY'RE THE FIRST PEOPLE TO WANT TO HELP SOMEBODY ELSE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND THE FRIENDSHIPS AND THE RELATIONSHIPS I'VE MADE, PRICELESS, ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS.

TED: CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS.

SOUNDS FANTASTIC, SOUNDS LIKE YOUR LIFE'S WORK RIGHT NOW.

LISA VOLENEC, WE GO TO THE PODCAST APP AND FIND THIS IS PARKINSON'S?

>> ALL THE MAIN SITES AND I HAVE A MAIN PODCAST SITE AND THE MAIN SITE FOR MY WEBSITE IS THIS IS PARKINSON'S.ORG.

TED: CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT SUCCESS AND CAREER SUCCESS AND HOPE YOU ARE DOING WELL AND WISH YOU WELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, TED, APPRECIATE IT.

TED: AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.