77-year-old Raleigh man gives Parkinson's a one-two punch

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- 77-year-old Harold Huberfeld spends a lot of time on a boxing bag.

"It gives you a feeling that you're fighting back," he said. "Something is within your control. It's helping."

It's helping to slow down the progression of Parkinson's, a disease Harold was diagnosed with in August of 2008.

"I had tremors in the beginning," he said. "But, I could pretty much do anything...I wasn't falling or anything like that. What I found is that the Rock Steady program, which I got into here ..I just felt great after that exercise. I don't even have tremors anymore."

"His stamina is up again and he's just more excited," said Rock Steady coach Susan Drury-Rohner. "Studies are showing that forced exercise, which is when you're challenging somebody to go beyond their comfort zone, that's really when you get the most neuromuscular benefits from it."

Harold has been boxing with the Rock Steady program for almost three years.

With the help of his trainer, the two are bringing the program to his senior living community, The Cardinal at North Hills.

The program begins on Monday with seven other Parkinson's patients signed up.

"He shared the information with me," Drury-Rohner said. "We were providing him transportation down to his gym and I could just see how excited he was about it and then I started researching it and truly you watch some of the videos and the testimonials and I'm like wow we need to do this."

"This is really kind of the unique opportunity," Huberfeld said. "I never expected Rock Steady to come to senior living. It's just a lot of fun."