Giving back makes Magic

Every once in a while, I’m lucky enough to participate in a “golf event” that ends up being bigger than the game itself. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I’m a big believer in sharing that story.

Last Sunday and Monday, I participated in a dinner and golf event that raised funds for the new The Magic of Michael Foundation. And while there was a golf component to it, the scores posted that day could not have meant less.

Now let’s be clear about this: I know my limitations as a “writer” and I certainly don’t consider myself to be a “reporter,” so I’m not going to try to give an lengthy depiction of the Hirschbeck family or the medical tragedies they’ve gone through.

So all I’ll say is, for those who don’t know the Hirschbeck story, John and Denise Hirschbeck (who also have two daughters) have lost two sons to adrenoleukodystrophy, (ALD). Their youngest son, Michael, passed away unexpectedly in 2014.

The Magic of Michael Foundation was formed this year as a way to honor and remember their youngest son with a mission to raise funds for local families dealing with medical hardships.

The inaugural event took place with a dinner and golf last Sunday and Monday at The Lake Club. And for those of us lucky enough to have been there, it was a truly inspiring event.

The dinner was a packed-house event, highlighted by a live auction run by host Ed Muransky and our local United Way chief Bob Hannon.

The evening culminated with an amazing “fireside chat” between John Hirschbeck, a Major League Baseball umpire, Tom Hamilton (the voice of the Cleveland Indians) and Joe Torre, the Hall of Fame baseball manager.

And let me just say that if you’ve ever questioned the love and support one can find within our community, just talk to anyone in attendance that night and those doubts should be quickly erased.

I’m not in a position to “name names,” but the outpouring of support from some of our area’s most prominent individuals was so overwhelming that that “feeling” became almost tangible, like it was something you wanted to grab and hold on to.

The golf on Monday was more of the same. Foursome after foursome supporting a foundation that no one wished needed to exist, but that everyone was excited to be a part of.

I personally had two major takeaways from the event. The first was the amazing impact that Michael Hirschbeck had on those around him. I only got to meet Michael once, but leaving the course on Monday it was easy to tell that, however short, his life meant so much to so many people. And that the friends he made while here will forever cherish their memories with him.

The other takeaway was the overall awe I had for the entire Hirschbeck family. As a son, and a sibling, and now as a parent, I genuinely can’t fathom the losses their family has endured. I don’t think it’s fair to say “I can only imagine ...” because I don’t think anyone could imagine that pain. However morbid the thought, I’d like to think that myself and my family could withstand a personal tragedy, but who could honestly say?

What I can say however, is that no one, and I mean no one, could have started a foundation and put on an event with more class than the Hirschbeck family did last week. John, Denise, Erin, and Megan, thank you for organizing such an incredible event. Your strength, your class, your caring for others, and your family’s love for each other was as inspiring on a personal level as anything I can remember.

Jonah Karzmer is a former golf professional who writes a Sunday golf column for The Vindicator. In his spare time he sells commercial insurance and loves getting feedback on his weekly columns via email at Jonah@thekarzmerinsurance.com.