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WEEK OF APRIL 4, 2024
VOLUME 97 | ISSUE 18
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Boxer Kenny Hill helps mentor fight Parkinson’s one jab at a time Denver’s Tao of Boxing gym helps people combat symptoms of the disease
BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN
BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Kenny Hill was a troubled youth as he was growing up in Kansas. But one day, he met a man who turned his life around. Butch Dillon and Hill got acquainted through the Boys & Girls Club, and the friendship grew when Dillon gave Hill an hourly gig detailing cars. “He got me out of trouble,” Hill said of Dillon. “He inspired me to do better.” Dillon and Hill remained close, the former serving as an adult role model and offering advice as the latter grew up and eventually moved to Denver, earned a college degree and started a business. In 2011, Hill was able to return the favor. Dillon had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. So Hill — a lifelong boxer who has garnered many accolades including threetime junior Olympic champion, a three-time Silver Glove champion and a Golden Glove champion — didn’t waste any time helping his friend in the best way that he knew how. “Boxing is the No. 1 exercise that combats the movement symptoms,” Hill said. Hill traveled to Indianapolis to get certified to coach people with Parkinson’s disease through a nonprofit called Rock Steady Boxing, which exists to “improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s disease through a non-contact, boxingbased fitness curriculum.” SEE BOXING, P2
Volunteers scramble to help migrant families in Denver
Kenny Hill, left, and Ryan Ehtessabian, who are business partners and boxers, operate a nonprofit called Movement by TOB, which offers boxing training to people living with PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN Parkinson’s disease and cancer.
VOICES: 8 | LIFE: 10 | CALENDAR: 13
Volunteers were rescuing Venezuelan families with young children from sleeping outside as Denver has scaled back migrant services and the time people were allotted to stay in cityfunded hotel rooms expired. The city, in response to complaints from volunteers that children were ending up outside, decided on a March afternoon to reopen a city building in Civic Center park to house migrant families with nowhere to sleep. Denver Human Services officials said they were rushing to reactivate the McNichols Building on Colfax Avenue, including sending staff and ordering meals. The re-opening of the congregate shelter in a civic building meant for arts and culture was not part of the plan as the city scales down migrant services that have already cost $61 million. But Mayor Mike Jonhston and his staff have said multiple times that they would prevent kids from ending up on Denver streets. “Nobody ever said this was going to be easy,” said Jon Ewing, spokesperson for Denver Human Services. “You are going to have families who haven’t figured it out yet. There are a lot of factors competing against them. It’s not a problem of their own making.” SEE HELPING, P4
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