St. Augustine golf tournament to raise money for brain aneurysm research, education Monday

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Popular Jacksonville radio personality known as “Froggy” is hosting a golf tournament on Monday for the third year to raise money for brain aneurysm research.

Froggy, who is a radio personality for WQIK and around the county with Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, says he is fortunate to have his job and to be able to play golf after finding out he had a brain aneurysm in October 2020. He said doctors performed several scans before his diagnosis.

Now, to give back, Froggy started a golf tournament at Palencia Club in St. Augustine to help raise money for research and encourage people to get testing.

The tournament’s goal is to raise $100,000.

In Froggy’s case, doctors had to perform an emergency operation.

“Right when they took the top off, the aneurysm ruptured,” he said.

According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, more than 30,000 people have brain aneurysm ruptures every year in the United States and half of those are deadly.

“You almost have a little survivor’s guilt. You are like, why me? How did I make it?” Froggy said.

Froggy is a survivor, but he endured a grueling recovery process.

“My balance is not 100%, but as long as I am moving, I am fine,” he said ” I am pretty much able to do anything I want to do. I am working. I’m able to play golf with my son again.”

Christine Buckley is the executive director of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. She says early detection saves lives and brain aneurysms are treatable.

“Unfortunately, there aren’t always signs and symptoms. But some of the signs and symptoms are headaches, neck, pain, just feeling like you have the flu,” Buckley said.

Buckley says the aneurysm is not the killer. The rupture of it is.

Froggy wants to help others not become a part of those statistics.

“Why not help other people? If you can help people who can’t help you that is the sign of life. That is what it’s about,” Froggy said.

Registration begins at 10 a.m. and the tournament starts at 11 a.m. on Nov. 20 in St. Augustine.

Visit bafound.org/event to learn more information and register.