Many of Craig Dolch’s friends in the industry are circulating this story by Emily Minor of the Palm Beach Post. It is about Dolch’s son Eric. The piece also includes a video.

Back in 2005, Dolch experienced every parent’s nightmare. Eric came down with a fever that quickly escalated into much more. He eventually suffered from severe brain damage, leaving him disabled with little ability to function on his own.

Craig is a great guy and those of us in the golf writing community rallied around him back then. Since I’ve been off the traveling golf beat for a while, it has been a while since I have chatted with Craig.

So it is good to get an update and to be inspired by Craig’s courage and perspective about Eric.

Minor writes:

It wasn’t a mosquito bite that caused Eric Dolch’s encephalitis — although what does it matter, really? “It happened,” says his dad.

Instead, Eric tested positive for “mycoplasma,” a bacteria most commonly present in walking pneumonia. It’s unusual for mycoplasma to settle in the brain, causing the tissue swelling that’s the main marker of encephalitis. When it does, it’s not good.

And the bad news kept coming.

First, there were the seizures — huge, frightening, grand mal seizures, so violent that the medical team summoned religious services.

“I swear, it wasn’t 30 seconds before there was a minister at my side,” Van de Water remembers.

The question:

Is he in there? That’s the million-dollar question.

Does Eric Dolch know what’s going on?

“The thing that drives me nuts every hour of the day is I don’t understand what he knows,” Dolch says. “Is he in constant pain? Does he enjoy anything? Who wants to live like that?”

Dr. Resnick says it’s hard to know exactly what Eric does and does not comprehend, but he can tell you this.

“He gets depressed,” Resnick says.

Really? How can you tell?

“He cries.”

Carlos Restrepo, 31, the home health aide who spends the most time with Eric, says, without missing a beat, that his No. 1 patient is “absolutely” aware of what’s going on. “Oh, there is no doubt,” he says.

“Oh yeah, he’s in there,” says Elizabeth Keith, Eric’s longtime physical therapist.

The challenge:

The family has spent close to $1 million of their own money on Eric’s care.

“It basically ruins your life financially,” Dolch says. “If a child lives long enough, you’re going to run out of money — unless you’re Bill Gates.”

For years, Dolch had covered the sport of golf, establishing himself as a respected beat writer. He traveled a lot, sure, and it wasn’t always pleasant to saddle up to the likes of Tiger Woods, especially during Tiger Woods’ unraveling years. But when Dolch started the nonprofit to raise money and awareness about encephalitis, the golf community’s reaction was both quick and mighty. Jack Nicklaus, himself no stranger to tragedy, called early on to lend his support.

After all, professional golf is full of guys who make a living saying goodbye, leaving the wife and kids, missing PTA meetings and dance recitals and Little League games.

But for the grace of God …

“This is as personal as it gets,” says pro golfer Olin Browne. “This is their child, and to have it go on for all these years.”

Of course, through each struggle — the diagnosis, the surgeries, the two steps forward, the three steps back — there’s been a village forming around Eric Dolch. “Eric is our son, but he’s everybody’s son,” says Dolch.

The picture above is from the Eric Dolch Children’s Encephalitis Foundation site. Please check out the site for more information.