We have been through some tragic and difficult months.

My wife’s younger sister died January 7th of ovarian cancer @ UCLA after only 20 days from the diagnosis. She was completely with out any symptoms. She was just 44 and leaves a husband 40 and 3 children 8,7 & 4. Its like a bomb went off in our family. The grief has been monumental. Some part of me will never be the same. My wife Judy is splitting her time between Nashville and LA focusing on care for her late sisters' children during this difficult period.

Nick & Terri Reid, Scott McCoy, Irene Anderson and Carol Johns all came to the funeral and were of great comfort to me personally. I love them so much for being there when I needed them.  The love and experience we have all shared transcends the years and countries giving all a bond from Tokyo that is amazingly strong and durable. This is a special gift we have all been blessed with.

Yacoub "Bob" Al-Ghoussein and I have been working together on various projects for the last 2 years and seeing each other often in Toronto and Nashville. John Ashley and I have also gotten together 3 times in the last year in Phoenix and Nashville.

In May of last year last we suffered a catastrophic Guest House fire on our farm. I was sleeping there that night as fate would have it and the second floor collapsed 45 seconds after I got out. So thank God I wasn't killed or burned.

Last Saturday night my 19-year son put his BMW into a concrete barrier in Palm Springs @ 100 mph after suffering a seizure at the wheel and pressing down on the accelerator. He survived with 65 stitches to the forehead, concussion and a few broken ribs and has been released from the Hospital. He will make a full recovery.

Scot has set up the Ware Centre in Franklin, TN for stroke and brain injury patient recovery. The centre uses state of the art multi-million dollar equipment from Hakoma in Switzerland and in only available in 20 locations in North America.

My parents will be 82 and 78 this year and remain healthy and active on various boards and philanthropic endeavors.

I am still involved in fiber optics and have established manufacturing facilities in 23 locations including China, Taiwan, Czech Republic and the States.  I travel regularly to Sweden, China, Singapore, London and Dubai for ongoing projects.

My children CJ 19yrs, Dylan 17, Benjamin 16 and Julia 10 are all in school and college. Each one participating in various sports and groups-from Polo to Horse Jumping-Ice Hockey-Cross Country-Tennis, playing music and church youth group activities.

Brent