Jim Sigafoose, Mentor and Friend

One of my few remaining mentors and a long-time friend has passed from the scene. A mentor is an instructor, someone who is usually older and in chiropractic, one who teaches you something you did not know before. In my case it was not something about the philosophy but something about being a chiropractor and in that role, loving the philosophy, demonstrating love for humanity and other chiropractors through chiropractic. I was only in practice less than a year hen I first met Jim in 1968. It was in his modest office in a small town in central Pennsylvania where he practiced, largely unknown outside of the state. I was impressed by his unabashed enthusiasm for chiropractic and chiropractors. He signed a blank check for me on that first meeting, to enable my wife and I to attend a seminar he felt would help me in my chiropractic understanding. Jim did not have the background and education in the philosophy that I had. In fact his formal chiropractic education was quite the opposite. But his “conversion” demonstrated to me that sitting in a philosophy class, while important, was not the be-all and end-all of calling yourself a chiropractor. Over the last 46 years we talked many times. I don’t think we had a single conversation about chiropractic philosophical concepts or principles but each time we talked, I came away with a better understanding of what it means to be a chiropractor. Over those years, I watched him mellow. He no longer literally bounced off walls. But his obvious love for chiropractic never diminished. Next week we were scheduled to be on a program together to do a Q & A for 2 hours. I’m sure I can answer all the technical/philosophical questions without him but I know I cannot communicate his zeal, enthusiasm, and passion for chiropractic. I’m not sure anyone can or ever will. Thank you Patsy and family for sharing Sig with me, the rest of the profession and the world.