Turns out, a 2,000-mile solo bike trip to the Arctic Circle was not the hardest thing he would ever do.
Whidbey Island husband, father and adventurer Pat Rodden has always had a healthy “carpe diem” attitude toward life, and his family and friends are determined that Rodden will continue to seize many more days ahead.
For the past 10 months, Rodden has been on a long road to recovery due to a fall from a ladder in April 2009 that left him with a massive head injury.
After 11 weeks of multiple surgeries and complications, Rodden left Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and moved to the rehab facility at Everett Providence Pacific Regional Medical Center, where he continues a slow but steady climb toward recovery.
“He only had his feeding tube removed about 10 days ago, but is now showing great signs of improvement,” his good friend Rainey said. “He’s speaking audibly now, and even showing a bit of his old sense of humor.”
Rainey, a professional singer, is one of many local community members concerned for the well-being of Rodden, his wife Kris and their two children. The medical bills continue to mount for the Clinton family.
To help cover those costs, Rainey will host a benefit concert and raffle for the Roddens called “A Woman In Love.” The fundraiser is 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14 in the auditorium at South Whidbey High School. She will be accompanied by Robert Marsanyi and Larry Neubauer on keyboards, Troels Oxenvad on guitar, Juan Van Dunk on bass, Alan Brown on drums, Alec Buchanan on sax and Jim Simpson as the emcee. Singers Sam Cass, Kim Jones and Julie Pigotte will sing backup.
Rainey said the Valentine’s Day show is the perfect day to premier the song of the same title that she wrote for Kris Rodden.
The devotion of Kris Rodden to her husband was a great source of inspiration to Rainey. She spoke of Kris’s advocacy to find the very best care for her husband.
“She’s stood by him constantly, never flagging, through this entire ordeal — safeguarding him, encouraging him, trying everything under the sun to help him,” Rainey said.
It was an extremely hard time for the family, but Rainey observed Kris’s refusal to let Pat go, and Pat’s tough fight against suffering and pain.
“Going through so many brain operations and procedures; to live, to get back to her and their two beautiful daughters, and them both showing such a deep, profound love for each other that it just chokes me up to think of it,” Rainey said.
The couple’s love and resolve inspired Rainey.
“I wrote them a song called ‘A Woman In Love.’ A love like that deserves to be honored on Valentine’s Day.”
Some celestial workings may have brought the singer to this moment in time when she finds herself singing for the love of a neighbor who is struggling to get back to his old self.
Rainey had a different kind of struggle to reach the top of her musical game.
“It’s funny, while I was in Los Angeles all those years, trying to be a success, I always felt I just missed the mark. I sang for millions of people, having won on the very first three broadcasts of a new show at that time called ‘Star Search.’”
That was the beginning of her musical career and countless recording projects followed, including the CDs “The Singer,” “Bring On The Fire” and “You Belong to Me.”
She continues to write and record songs for her CD projects in her studio in Seattle, and she’s been busy filling requests for her song “Old Enough to Rock and Roll,” from the soundtrack for the film “Iron Eagle.” That song has turned out to be an international sleeper hit, with people contacting her from all parts of the globe to buy a CD.
The fundraiser fittingly follows the spirit that Rodden found on his long journey to the Arctic. He wrote in his journal:
The people and place are golden. People can still smell the rain, hear the owls, eagles and coyotes, and feel the sun’s warmth, and the brace of the wind that can come and go on a moment’s notice. There is one more simple but amazing thing that you must know about this place. If you — yes you — happened to drop by, or possibly even found yourself living in this magical place, you would also find yourself chatting up these same wonderful people at these same seasonal fetes and returning home after a boisterous and celebratory evening thanking your lucky stars that you also lived in such a place.
Tickets are $20 for all ages and are available at Useless Bay Coffee, Nymbols’ Secret Garden, Boomerang and Island Athletic Club, or at the door with cash or a check made out to the Patrick Rodden Benefit. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Additional donations can also be made at click here.
