FedCon Bonn 26th May - 28th May 2023

[LTTPlits]

when he spoke about the head trauma and how his memory is fuzzy and that he was aware of it I worry about him ... I agree with what someone said after that accident he needs to wrap himself in bubble wrap or the goalie gear in ice hockey

I share your feelings, erg. I have to say that hearing him talk about his worsening memory after that accident colored my reactions to the next episodes in my MacGyver re-watch (my second time through), especially knowing he did a lot of his own stunt work. I was acutely aware of just how much Mac got banged up in them, including in the head, and, then, in one episode, he completely lost his memory because of an accident. Just brought back that video.... I hadn't heard about that recommendation but I sure understand it.

[Beata]

I think his memory is better than he gives himself credit for, on some of the Q&A's it is remarkable how much he remembers from his past. A concussion will not totally wipe out your memory, momentarily perhaps but not in the long run.

Beata

[LTTPlits]

I think his memory is better than he gives himself credit for, on some of the Q&A's it is remarkable how much he remembers from his past. A concussion will not totally wipe out your memory, momentarily perhaps but not in the long run.

Hey, Beata,
I agree he tends to downplay his capabilities, being the humble guy he is, and, as with his acting, his memory is better than he gives himself credit for, just as you said, and, as evident on the Q&A's and in interviews. I wasn't meaning to suggest that the memory issues from a concussion are total or permanent. But while watching that video, I was struck with how distressing that ordeal must have been for him, especially as the many effects can linger for awhile. As luck would have it, there were a lot of scenes, including one in which Mac suffers from temporary amnesia, in the particular episodes that I watched right afterwards that brought the video back to my mind, distracting me from simply enjoying them. I just really hope, as I'm sure do you, that he doesn't have any more accidents at all, but especially none like that one. jp

[Beata]

Hi LTTplits, I see what you mean, thank goodness that he has not had any accidents since that one, if I am not mistaken.

He seems to be so happy now and lost so much weight, when I met him in France he looked really healthy.

The loss of a pet is so sad, I hope he gets another dog, sometimes that helps, but he may think he is too old to raise another pup, but he certainly has enough love and that is all that matters.

Beata

[Newfieblue]

I so understand his issues. My husband had an aneurysm burst 18 years ago..He survived, he was in a coma for 5.5 weeks..he has not long term memory issues, but short term issues. As with a concussion, when the neuro net reconnects as part of the healing process, changes occur and some are permenant. The brain takes years (approx 2) to heal With each concussion
The damage worsens, hence the sports concussions discussions where they talk about severe injury. Hopefully Rick takes great care of further injury and has great caregiving to help compensate…be safe Rick…

[LTTPlits]

Hi LTTplits, I see what you mean, thank goodness that he has not had any accidents since that one, if I am not mistaken.
He seems to be so happy now and lost so much weight, when I met him in France he looked really healthy.
The loss of a pet is so sad, I hope he gets another dog, sometimes that helps, but he may think he is too old to raise another pup, but he certainly has enough love and that is all that matters.
Beata

Hi Beata, (please feel free to call me "jp"),
I hope you're right about his not having had any more accidents since that one. (When was it, do you know?) He does seem happy these days, like he's enjoying life, while taking good care of himself, which is uplifting to see. He does seem to miss Andy a lot. Very understandable. Maybe he will get another dog some day... I hope he feels he can, (it's hard to imagine him without one), but if not, then, that he's okay with it.

I so understand his issues. My husband had an aneurysm burst 18 years ago..He survived, he was in a coma for 5.5 weeks..he has not long term memory issues, but short term issues. As with a concussion, when the neuro net reconnects as part of the healing process, changes occur and some are permenant. The brain takes years (approx 2) to heal With each concussion
The damage worsens, hence the sports concussions discussions where they talk about severe injury. Hopefully Rick takes great care of further injury and has great caregiving to help compensate…be safe Rick…

Newfieblue, I am so sorry. I have some familiarity with the issues as well. Such a difficult situation for all involved. I hadn't known Rick had had a concussion until I saw that video. I thought about all the stunts he'd performed over the years and all the accidents he's had. And while I have no idea whether any of them involved head trauma other than this last one, I was concerned for all the reasons you mentioned. I'm hoping that he's been lucky thus far and that this accident will have been the last of them. jp

[tvero80]

The accident happened in July 2016 . But he went to the Vancouver Gatecon in September anyway :



You can find other photos in the photo gallery and notes in the updates of the time,jp . He has always been accident prone , poor man . But that one was by far the most serious
As for his memory ... I don't know . As Beata said he hasn't forgotten everything... did you notice his remark about 2016 , a reference to D. Trump being elected president ? He just has selective memory , that's all .

[LTTPlits]

Thank you, V, for all that information and the photo. I will check out the updates and gallery. I'm glad to hear that he felt well enough to go to a con so soon after that accident. He does seem prone to having them, so I really hope he's broken that trend for good (and not more bones!)... and certainly never has another like that one.

I'm not saying he has a true problem with his memory, apart from those age-related "senior moments" I see most people around me his age having. I don't know. I do know he's had concerns about his memory for a long time, going back to requesting short pieces of dialogue in SG-1 and to refusing an offer to appear as a guest star on "West Wing," a show he loved, because of the long and wordy speeches of the characters. He may make references now to memory issues just because he has a heightened awareness of all the changes that come with aging, including that. He has seemed to accept all of them with good grace and a self-effacing humor, which has seemed his way of talking about challenges and adversities in his life in general. He certainly did remember the other great catastrophe of 2016! (I couldn't agree more with his judgment about that!) I was just horrified by the story in that video, the potential implications of an injury like that, especially if it is not the first, and am glad and relieved to know that it was as long ago as it was!

[tvero80]

I just found this new interview on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ02nuaE1K8

To go back to this great interview which was shot in Paris ( I recognized his t.shirt ) it's really too bad you can't understand French because all the comments are really nice and flattering , showing how inspiring his characters have been over here in France !

[LTTPlits]

V, I'm not totally hopeless when it comes to French. I studied it long ago (such a beautiful language, with so much music in it!), so I do still get words and phrases here and there, but these days, mostly when the speaker is not speaking so rapidly as this interviewer! I know how beloved Rick and the characters to which he gave life are all around the world. That point was driven home to me early after I first discovered RDA through SG-1 (~2020). Before joining the Forum, I participated in several events sponsored by The Companion, virtual Table Reads of AI-generated SG-1 scenes with Brad Wright and some of the other SG-1 actors and then a lovely virtual interview of RDA by Brad Wright. People from all over the world were watching and commenting, some of them having gotten up in the middle of the night or extremely early in the morning, depending on their time zone, to do so. There was such an outpouring of admiration and love for him and his two major characters, expressed by people from all around the world. It was really amazing! (And totally justified , as I always hope he knows!)