The Courage to be a Man.
by RBWillner, DPM 
Poster 8/16/00 Podiatry Forum

Dear Readers:

Those of you who have been around since March have seen hundreds of posts I have made about one man --Brian David Gale, DPM. And, if you have been following my thinking in real time, you have noticed that I initially responded to his Email that was on Alan Sherman's Podiatry Online. I responded to him that "the State Boards are never wrong" and "there is another side to this story".
At that time, I had never met Brian or any Podiatrist in North Dakota. I had no dog in that hunt.

In an independent fashion, I investigated Brian and the Charts and the Legals. Source documents were requested and mailed to me. I interviewed Brian and Tami for hours to find any inconsistency.

You all know that I have found nothing no matter how deep I dig.

I met Brian and Tami for the first time in Philadelphia at the House of Delegates Meeting. Brian was a Delegate from the Great state of North Dakota as he was appointed by the President of the North
Dakota APMA (this is not the President of the North Dakota Board of Podiatry)

North Dakota is a very small state. Brian has powerful letters of support of other Podiatrists in the State who are not members of the Board. Brian has POWERFUL LETTERS OF SUPPORT from Podiatrists EVERYWHERE!!

500 Hand written and Hand typed Letters of Support from his Patients!! (Alan Sherman has a copy of these). Which North Dakota Board Member can say the same? 

Brian has spent $ 250,000 in legal fees over the last 7 1/2 years. He was driven into bankruptcy. Remember when he posted that a few months ago?

I remember his Webmaster Emailing me and saying that he owes her $500 and now he won't pay her. I Emailed her back telling her that whether or not he is in bankruptcy, he will pay his bills.
I knew that because I know his character. Brian is an honest and a straight shooter who will not do what he "can get away with", but, will do what is the proper thing to do.

Brian paid that bill one week later.

What drives Brian where the average person would have quit years ago? What makes Brian work as a Podiatrist each day and then work this full time job in the quest to keep his Podiatry License?

In my opinion, it all started when Brian was 9 years old. That is when his Optometrist father killed himself. That is right, you have read it right. Brian's dad committed suicide. 

The reasons are personal and will remain so. But, one can only imagine how this affected this young boy. 

After that, Brian continued his studies and made his Bar Mitzvah.

When I have questioned him how well he handles stress, he simply tells me that however bad his life becomes, it will never be so bad as when he lost his Dad.

I have gotten to know Brian well over these 5 months. It is impossible not to be impressed with him due to his talents as a Podiatrist and a Surgeon, but most of all for his courage to be a Man.

Rich