Ed’s Big Heart
By Therese De Vos
Therese De Vos
Team Cox
STORY SUMMARY
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Ed Piepergerdes and his wife Pam have lived in Excelsior Springs for 51 years. Ed says that after he retired as a veterinarian he was feeling lonely and needed to find purpose in life beyond work and his relationships with clients. That’s when he bought his first four Jacobs sheep. He calls the heard, which has grown to more than 75 sheep, “a labor of love.”
Ed believes that staying active and keeping busy is the key to longevity and his happiness absolutely depends on it. Ed, who has been diagnosed with an enlarged heart, learned that if it weren’t for his active lifestyle, he would have never made it to 76. When he was a young boy, he also had rheumatic fever, which he says almost killed him. He says he has made a promise to God that because his life was spared, he was going use his heart to its fullest capacity until the day he dies. When going on his long bike rides he says, “its when I spend my alone time with God.”
Ed Piepergerdes sits in his favorite chair in his house, drinking coffee in the early morning hours in Excelsior Springs, Mo.
A pin board of Ed’s accomplishments and memorabilia hangs on the wall in his basement.
Ed and his wife Pam say grace at their breakfast table.
Ed unloads feed for his Jacobs sheep.
Ed takes a moment before herding his Jacobs sheep into his barn.
Ed and Pam look at a map to determine which route Ed should take for his 170-mile Alabama bike ride.
Ed bikes up “Ed’s Hill” in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. His friends named it unofficially in his honor.
Ed comes back from his long bike ride, pulling into the drive way.
Ed kisses his wife after returning from a bike ride.
Ed sits in his favorite chair after sunset.
Brian Kratzer, Co-Director
Alyssa Schukar, Co-Director
Hany Hawasly, Technical Director
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