"Living with Multiple Sclerosis"

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Multiple Sclerosis / Multiple Scarring / Multiple Symptoms / Multiple Stories

"He Always Looks Good"

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About Me

I am a 65-year-old father of two remarkable children who continue to inspire me every day. My son, Cameron, is a talented lifestyle photographer, and my daughter, Maggie, is a horse lover and equestrian enthusiast with a deep appreciation for life's simple joys. Their love, encouragement, and unwavering support have been among my greatest blessings.

I have been living with multiple sclerosis for 25 years and with Type 1 diabetes since I was 14 years old. Together, these conditions have shaped my life in ways I never

imagined, but they have never defined who I am.

Living with MS has become increasingly challenging, often

in ways that are difficult to explain. Over the years, it has

taken away many of the activities I once loved. I was an avid

snow skier, a fearless mountain biker, and enjoyed running,

hiking, cycling, surfing, golf, and tennis. While those chapters

of my life have changed, they have not ended my desire to

embrace new adventures.

Despite the daily challenges of MS, I choose to greet each

morning with gratitude, hope, and optimism. Some days are

harder than others, but every day is a gift, and every day matters.

When one door closed, another opened. The day I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, I made a promise to myself that I would one day become an advocate for others living with this disease.

That promise has become my purpose. Through Sierra Nevada Open Water 4MS and my high-elevation endurance swims, I strive to raise awareness, inspire hope, and improve the quality of life for those living with MS.

While multiple sclerosis will always be part of my story, it will never define the ending. Instead, I hope my journey demonstrates that purpose, perseverance, and hope can carry us farther than we ever imagined.

What People Don't See

One of the comments I often hear when I tell someone I have multiple sclerosis is, "You look great!" With a smile and a little humor, I always reply, "Thanks... that's what they're going to put on my tombstone: "He Always Looked Good."

Although we all share the same diagnosis, Multiple Sclerosis is a deeply personal disease. No two people experience it the same way, and no two journeys are identical. That's why, when I talk or write about living with MS, I often refer to it as "My MS." Every case of MS is different. One person's experience is not another's. Just because someone with MS looks healthy on the outside doesn't mean they aren't facing significant challenges every single day.

Standing in front of you with my cane, or my walker in hand,

it's impossible for you to know what is really going through

my mind.

Will my legs give out before I get there?

Where can I sit down?

Where's the nearest bathroom... and can I make it in time?

What is your name again?

What did you just say? - All while thinking:

"Can I make it through today without anyone noticing how hard this really is?"

These are just a few of the countless thoughts racing through my mind while I'm trying my best to appear as though everything is perfectly normal.

Humor has become one of the ways I cope with living with this invisible disease. The reality is that many of the challenges of MS can't be seen. They are felt every day by those of us who live with it. Looking healthy doesn't always mean feeling healthy, and that's one of the greatest misconceptions about multiple sclerosis that I hope to change.

You may see me roll by in my wheelchair or walk into a restaurant with my rollator and assume everything is fine. What you don't see are the invisible challenges I face every hour of every day. Fatigue. Balance. Weakness. Numbness. Cognitive fog. Memory lapses. Heat sensitivity. The constant mental calculations that have become second nature.

This is something we often talk about often in my MS support group. To the outside world, we may appear as capable as anyone else. But appearances can be deceiving. MS affects each of us differently, and many of its most difficult symptoms are completely invisible. What you see on the outside is only a small part of the story. The real battle is often the one no one else can see.

Dix...

A name I hope you'll remember.

It was the nickname I was given at birth—a nickname I haven't used since I was nine years old.

So, where did the name come from?

I was born in 1960, the son of Richard ("Dick") and Marlyn Gardner. My father was an only child. His father's name was Max, and his uncle's name was Rex. Their mother—my great-grandmother—called my dad "Dix" when he was a little boy.

Although my birth certificate says Richard Gardner Jr., my parents thought it would be fun to carry on the family nickname. Unfortunately, they made that decision without consulting me.

As a child, Dix was the only name I knew. It was the name I answered to, the name my friends used, and the name I entered grammar school with.

For the first few years, everything was fine.

But as I got older, my nickname took on an entirely different meaning to the older boys at school. Who would have guessed that one little nickname could become the reason I'd be teased nearly every day?

Fortunately, after fifth grade, my mom was politely asked to enroll me in another school. That's a story for another chapter—one involving ADHD.

Starting over at a private school in sixth grade gave me the chance to leave "Dix" behind and introduce myself simply as Richard. I've been Richard ever since... although my childhood friends still call me Dix whenever we get together.

My father has since passed away, and I am proud to carry on his name as Richard Jr. Now, with the launch of Sierra Nevada Open Water 4MS, it feels right to bring "Dix" back one more time—not as the nickname I once tried to escape, but as a tribute my father and mother who first gave it to me.

"WHY I SWIM"

"Raising MS Awareness with I Every Lake I Swim"

At 51 years of age, I found myself standing on the pool deck permanently disabled, forced to leave the workforce, and wondering...

"What am I going to do with the rest of my life?"

Like so many people faced with a life-changing diagnosis, I took stock of everything I had accomplished, everything I had hoped to accomplish, and everything Multiple Sclerosis had taken from me.

My career was over. Many of the activities I loved were no longer possible. My future looked very different than the one I had imagined.

Then I realized something.

MS had taken a lot from me—but it hadn't taken away my ability to swim.

Swimming had been part of my life since I was a young boy. It had always been my happy place, a place where I found peace, confidence, and freedom. Even with MS, I could still swim—and swim well. These days, I swim using only my upper body with a pull buoy supporting my legs, but once I'm in the water, I don't feel disabled.

I feel free.

In 2013, I entered my first open-water swim—a two-mile event at Hermosa Beach, California, benefiting the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

That swim changed my life.

As I walked off the beach that day, I knew I had found more than a new sport. I had found a new purpose.

If I could no longer pursue the life I had planned, perhaps I could use swimming to make a difference in someone else's life.

That realization became the beginning of my mission to raise worldwide awareness of Multiple Sclerosis through open-water swimming.

Swimming is no longer simply something I do.

It has become my vocation, my purpose, and the vehicle through which I hope to inspire others of all abilities to discover that while disability may change the way we live, it does not have to define the way we dream.

The Birth of Sierra Nevada Open Water 4MS

It was June 2014, and I was attending my nephew's wedding.

Standing on the observation deck of the June Mountain Ski Lodge at 9,200 feet, I found myself gazing out over the crystal-clear blue waters of June Lake and Gull Lake. - Without warning, a thought came into my head.

"I want to swim those lakes."

It wasn't something I had planned. It wasn't even something I had ever considered before. But in that moment, the idea took hold.

The following day, I decided to take the long way home through Yosemite National Park via Highway 120, crossing Tioga Pass—the highest paved mountain pass in California at just over 10,000 feet.

After nearly two hours of driving, I rounded a

bend and found myself staring at Tenaya Lake,

fed by snowmelt and surrounded by towering

granite peaks carved by ancient glaciers, it was

one of the most breathtaking sights I had ever

seen. Once again, I caught myself thinking...

"I want to swim that lake."

Could there be a theme developing?

The Sierra Nevada is home to hundreds of alpine lakes. Some are easily reached by car. Others require long hikes or horseback rides through the wilderness. Long before Multiple Sclerosis entered my life, I had spent countless days backpacking these mountains and countless nights sleeping beneath their stars. They had always been a place of adventure, peace, and renewal.

MS may have changed how I returned to the Sierra, but it didn't stop me from returning.

Through open-water swimming, I found my way back to the mountains I had loved since childhood. Once again, I could immerse myself in their beauty, challenge myself physically, and reconnect with a part of my life that I thought had been lost forever. Then I realized something even bigger.

If I was going to swim these magnificent Sierra lakes, why not use every lake swim to bring greater awareness to Multiple Sclerosis?

That simple question became the beginning of something much larger than a swim. It became - Sierra Nevada Open Water 4MS.

How You Can Help Raise MS Awareness

LUNDY LAKE, CA - AUGUST 29, 2026

"Your support helps transform every swim into an opportunity to educate, inspire, and bring greater awareness to Multiple Sclerosis"

This summer I will be back in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, where I will once again be swimming to Raise MS Awareness.

My inspiration for Sierra Nevada Open Water 4MS came to me in 2014 as I stood on the deck of June Mountain ski lodge over looking the majestic blue-green waters of June and Gull Lakes. In 2021, I swam both of these lakes.

On August 29, 2026, I will be swimming Lundy Lake in the Eastern Sierra a distance of 2.5 miles up and back, with support of family & friends paddling and swimming along side me.

Thank you again for supporting Sierra Nevada Open Water 4MS and my swim this year of Lundy Lake in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Benefitting Keck Medicine of USC

Multiple Sclerosis Care Clinic and all of us living with MS. -

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Donations in Honor of Richard "Dix" Gardner

Thank you in advance for your support. It means the world to me!

- Every donation regardless of size helps bring education, hope and support to people living with Multiple Sclerosis and those who care for us. :)

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Dr Lilyana Amezcua
Director of MS Neurology
Keck University Hospital

Where Your Donation Goes

Donations raised through my swim of Lundy Lake will directly support the Third Annual MS Patient & Caregiver Forum, envisioned by Dr. Lilyana Amezcua, Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care and Research Center at Keck Medicine of USC.

This educational forum is designed to empower people living with Multiple Sclerosis and the family members, friends, and caregivers who support them. Attendees will learn about the latest advances in MS research, emerging treatments, symptom management, rehabilitation, and comprehensive

patient care.

The forum will be held at the USC Keck School of Medicine Health Sciences Campus and will also be streamed live via Zoom, allowing individuals from across the country—and around the world—to participate.

One of the most valuable parts of the program is the opportunity for patients and caregivers to ask questions directly to a panel of experts, including USC neurologists, MS specialists, rehabilitation professionals, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, and members of the multidisciplinary MS care team. I am also honored to participate by sharing my personal journey of living with MS and using open-water swimming to raise awareness and inspire others.

Your generosity helps make this important educational event possible, ensuring that people living with MS and those who care for them have access to the latest information, expert guidance, and a supportive community.