I cried a lot today.

Three months ago, to the shock and dismay of everybody who knew and cared about him, Donn Reisen, President of Ridge Vineyards, took his own life.

This morning, on a bright spring day under a cloudless blue sky, hundreds of friends and colleagues met on Monte Bello Ridge to celebrate his life.

And on this day, nobody displayed more grace, poise and elegance in the face of tragedy than Donn’s wife, Marilyn. I arrived at Ridge a bit early and the first person I encountered was Marilyn. As I struggled to gain enough composure to relate to her a story of Donn’s extraordinary generosity, it was she who spent the next ten minutes comforting me.

The list of attendees was testament to the many lives touched by Donn: Randall Graham, David Darlington, Tony Coturri, Gordon Binz, Mike and Anne Dashe, Joel Peterson, Bob Biale and partner Dave Pramuk were among the guests. Fran Bennion and Sue Crane – two of the original Ridge partners – were kind enough to spend a bit of time with me as well.

Donn Reisen joined Ridge Vineyards in 1977 and quite literally learned the business from the ground up – driving tractor. He rose through the organization to become VP of sales and marketing. After the sale of Ridge to Otsuka, and following Wilma Sturrock’s retirement, Donn became president of Ridge.

Those of you who had occasion to meet him at a trade tasting or at the winery, no doubt got a sample of his quick wit, impressive intelligence and love for Ridge and for wine.

Many of us knew that Donn suffered a devastating bicycle accident several years ago, requiring extensive facial reconstruction and rehabilitation. What few of us knew was that he had experienced another head injury prior to that when he was struck by an automobile while walking. There were also two previous documented incidents of head trauma.

Patients who suffer traumatic brain injury, as did Donn, are at risk for chronic cognitive impairment, memory loss and headache.

Few of us can imagine the pain, fear and hopelessness that must have engulfed him.

Today, I could only hope he was released from his suffering.

califusa

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