Alabama’s Ronnie McCarty shares Christmas wishes, counts blessings despite Parkinson’s diagnosis
Joan and Ronnie McCarty are facing his challenges with Parkinson's while also being thankful and hopeful this Christmas season. (Chad Allen / Alabama NewsCenter)
Ronnie McCarty has lived a good life.
He and his wife, Joan, married after dating for only eight weeks. Almost 50 years later they have shared “an amazing love story.”
He spent 38 years at Bevill State Community College as an instructor in mine safety and health.
He has been a minister for 43 years.
And for 25 years, he fulfilled his boyhood dream of coaching football at the junior high and high school level.
The McCartys raised three boys and a girl, and two of his sons followed him into football. Mike McCarty coached at the University of West Alabama and was the head coach at Point University in Georgia. Marcus coached football for Saraland High School near Mobile.
“The good Lord has blessed me beyond measure,” McCarty says.
Now, though, he faces his toughest challenge. McCarty was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which forced his retirement. Watch as the McCartys share their Christmas wishes.
Christmas wishes from an Alabama family challenged by Parkinson’s from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
