My Father, Harry Abraham Frumkin, was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Hazelton, Pennsylvania; his Father owned a small local men's clothing store called, “The Frumkin Brothers”. The income generated in the business paid for Father to attend MIT. After graduating from MIT with a degree in Chemical Engineering, father worked at the Chevron oil refinery (in Richmond) for 26 years.
My Mother, Cirel, was born in Denver Colorado in 1931. She lived there for a few years then, her parents moved to New York and raised her there. After graduating from New York State University with a degree in Physics and English, Cirel lived in San Francisco; and, she did some temporary work for NASA and, she was a waitress on the top floor of the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco.
When Father was living in Marinwood, he met Mother in a “Singles Meeting” in a local church in Lucas Valley (San Rafael).
When Mother was 36 and Father was 32, they got married in Las Vegas in 1968.
After Mother gave birth to her first child, Jesse, in 1969, Father purchased a home in Lucas Valley.
In 1971, Mother gave birth to me, at Kaiser in San Francisco.
When I was 5 years old, Mother placed me on the Lucas Valley Swim Team (of the Marin County Swim League) Over years of residence in Lucas Valley, I competed in the until I was 13 years old and won 2 Community Records, 3 Pool Records and 5 Team Records.
In addition, when I was 5 years old, I began playing soccer for the “Dixie School District”. After playing soccer for a few years, I was selected to be placed on the Terra Linda soccer “Traveling Team”. And, I played “Pop-Warner" tackle football, for the Terra Linda “Trojans” for two years, after that.
While growing up in Lucas Valley, I grew to enjoy my time undertaking “adventures” in nature and, attended various public and private schools in Marin County, Lucas Valley Elementary School, Merry Silvera Elementary School, Brandies Hillel, 3R School, Marin Country Day School, Miller Creek Middle School and Terra Linda High School.
And, I started backpacking in my youth. Mother was drawn into “The Sierra Club” and, I hiked the Grand Canyon with my Uncle when I was 11 year old.
Over those years... After attending the College Of Marin for a few semesters, George Lucas moved to Lucas Valley (relative to the name) in 1978 to found LucasFilm and Skywalker Ranch.
When I was 12 years old. Mother was combing the classified advertisements of a local publication, she found an advertisement for a 30-day backpacking journey in northern California for teenagers, called “Siskiyou High Adventures”.
Then, I took a plane up to Arcada California (by myself) and met with the Director of the adventure, and a few other teens.
We hiked one week through the Syskyou Mountains. Then we rafted the Smith River. Then, we hiked for one week through the Marble Mountains. Then, we rafted the Klamath River. Then, we hiked up Mt. Lassen. Then, the “trophy” of the adventure was to hike to the peak of Mt. Shasta. Mt. Shasta is in the Cascade Mountains and, it is the 5th highest mountain in the state, with the peak at an elevation of 14,179 ft. Read my story about my climbing Mt Shasta when I was 12 years old, “One Step At A Time”.
I had a wonderful time with that adventure and I did it again, the following year, with an old friend Chris, and my older brother, Jesse.
While growing up in Lucas Valley, as a young teen, I grew to have a passion for doing work and earning an income. And, for three years, I threw the Marin Independent Journal and, I did babysitting and “odd jobs” for neighbors.
Over my years of adolescence, Mother and Father were having excess disputes and quarrels. So, they filed for marital “separation” (divorce). Then, Father moved into a neighboring area, Marinwood. And, Mother changed my name to Toby Daniels (my middle name) and, my Brother's name to Jesse David (his middle name). And, Mother changed her name to Cirel Starhill.
When I was 14 years old, when Chevron was downsizing, Father was laid-off. A few months later, Dad gained employment with Mobil Oil Refinery in New Jersey.
When I was 15 years old, I moved to Hopewell, New Jersey (between Princeton and Trenton) to live with my Father and finish high school. There, when I turned 16 and gained a driver's license. Having grown to have a passion for making money, I bought an old two-door Toyota pickup truck. Then, I sealed driveways with a friend. And, worked at “Craft Dry Cleaners”, Malek Chevrolet and the “Hopewell Valley Racquetball Club”.
When I was close to high school graduation, I asked Mom if I could join the United States Army. And, Mother would not let me; she told me that I could attend ANY college (that was reasonably priced), with the long-term goal of earning a college degree. Having grown to love a clean natural environment and take adventures...
I chose to attend Montana State University; while living in Bozeman, (close to Yellowstone National Park and the BigSky Ski Resort) I grew to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of “The Big Sky Country”. Undecided upon a college Major... I began my college studies as a “General Studies” student.
When Freshman year ended, I chose to live in Bozeman (and gain “residence” to lower tuition); then I worked at a local construction business. Then... I was able to become more familiar with the town.
Shortly after my sophomore year was beginning, I gained work with Extended Systems, Inc. doing "in-house computer networking" sales, while I was a “full-time” student. Then, I often had to get up at 6am, to work from 7am – 11am doing telecommunication sales for the corporation. Then, each weekday, I would attend classes in the CollegeOf Business.
And, during my 1st semester of my 2nd year at the college, I was nominated to be in the Alpha Lambda Delta National Academic Honorary Society.
The summer after that second year of college, I
A few days later... One of my first clients was Wayne Freedman, a News Broadcaster for ABC Television in San Francisco. Mr. Freedman felt that I did a good job in his yard, and he admired my business demeanor. Shortly thereafter, I rode the Golden Gate Transit commuter bus to the television station, and met the Human Resources Manager; there I gained an Internship in the television station's Research and Sales Departments.
When my Junior year at MSU began while I continued my studies in the MSU “College Of Business”, I worked for Extended Systems, Inc. doing sales for their “in house” networking devices. And, I was elected by the fraternity to be the President. And, I was elected to be an Advisor for the “Fangs” Honorary Service Organization. That semester, I chose to gain a “Minor” in Communication, to accompany my College Of Business major.
That year, I was a campus tour guide for the College Admissions Office. And, I was selected to be on “Who's Who in American Universities”. And, I was selected to be on the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honorary Society, for scholastic achievement in schools of business.
While continuing my college studies and working for two different businesses... I was a Teacher’s Assistant for the College of Business Management seminar. And, I was selected by the “Who's Who in American Universities” to be on the “Member Selection Committee”. In addition, I was on the Mortar Board Honorary Society, for scholarship, leadership and community service. And, I was elected to be on the Montana State University chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Society.
In 1992 (my Senior year at MSU), while gaining a Bachelors Degree in Business Marketing and a Minor in Communication (with Honors), I gained an internship at SmithBarney Shearson, Inc. There, with the mission of composing an eight-page “branch brochure” for their office; then, I interviewed Financial Consultants and learned more about the corporation.
Considering my GPA and commendable scholastic achievements, the semester before graduation... I was selected to receive the Bryan Blewett-Trumble Scholarship by the College of Business. That scholarship paid for my plane flight to anywhere in North America, for preliminary interviews; then, I chose to fly back to my hometown in the Bay Area, for interviews with Silicon Graphics, LucasArts, Intel, Tandem Computers, Ketchum Advertising, McKesson Communications, Levi Strauss and Clorox.
All of the interviews went well and...Two months later, in September of 1992, when I was in Bozeman, on a 2nd date with a student, when I was wearing my seat-belt, I had an automobile accident.
1) When the doctor in the Bozeman Deaconess Hospital concluded that I had a Traumatic Brain Injury and, he lacked the training and/or the tools to perform neurosurgery.
2) I was transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Billings MT; then, the doctor concluded that I suffered a subdural hematoma and, he lacked the training and/or the tools to perform neurosurgery.
Being that I had a Kaiser card in wallet, the surgeon called Kaiser and, listened to a speaker-phone (to be given advice and instructions) while conducting neurosurgery on my head; three holes were drilled into my skull and, a "ventricular shunt" sewn into my thorax for proper circulation (to stay alive) and, 3 small holes were drilled into my skull. I was in a coma for 30 days.
Around that time, Father was granted early retirement and, he moved back into Mother's condo, to take care of me. Being that Mother was legally blind, Father did all of the driving for the family.
3) When the doctors saw that I was coming out of a coma, I was transported to Kaiser in Redwood City.
There, I was monitored for a few weeks there (view photo 1... photo 2... photo 3... photo 4...)...
4) Then, I was transported to Kentfield Rehabilitation Hospital for rehabilitation; there I stayed for a few weeks for treatment and therapy and, I was Learning To Walk Again...
5) Then, I was taken to Berkeley “Learning Services” (home with a nurse) for further “rehabilitation” and therapy; then, my behavior was evaluated, to see if I could behave properly in a public environment.
While I was a patient in that final home/hospital recuperating, my professors organized a meeting to discuss my situation. Considering my Honors GPA and the fact that I was an undergraduate student, widely known on campus by professors and students, my professors gathered and decided that I had earned a degree.
After my extended stay in the final “rehabilitative” home for a few months...I was moved back to Terra Linda to live with my Mother and Father, for further recuperation and “rehabilitation”.
My parents came back together to take care of me; they were no longer "in love" however, they lived to their last days taking care of me and, aiding each other.Shortly thereafter, I flew back to Bozeman to attend the graduation ceremony. At the MSU College Of Business commencement, Ted Turner and Jane Fonda had traveled from the Turner Ranches (in Livingston, Montana), to present themselves and offer funds to the school. When I walked across the stage to receive my Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing with a Minor in Communication degrees, there was a standing ovation and...
I "Stole The Show" from Ted Turner and Jane Fonda.Following my MSU College Of Business graduation, for 5 years I lived in Marin County with my retired parents and continued my “post-gradate” studies at the College Of Marin, for a semester, in the small “Disabled Students” Department, while doing a reasonable amount of volunteer work, “rehabilitating”.
For three summers, I did volunteer work at the Osher Marin Jewish Community Center and, one summer I aided Six Foot Two Productions (animation studio in Kentfield). Then, continued Multimedia studies at Santa Rosa Junior College.Father was diagnosed w/ Cancer Of The Pancreas in 1999. He passed away a few months later.
And, in 1999 I moved into the "Penthouse Suite" (underneath the flagpole) of the “Rosenberg Appartments” in Santa Rosa (in Sonoma County, "The Heart Of The Wine Country") and, lived there for ten years, on the top floor (under the flagpole), doing volunteer work and, undertaking "postgraduate" studies at Santa Rosa Junior College (one of the best Junior Colleges in North America). Over those years... I had numerous CA Dept. Of Rehabilitation Counselors and, 7 different Santa Rosa Junior College Counselors (5 of whom were of the “Disabled Students Department”. Most of these counselors spent time signing me up for classes that were of no benefit; then, they retired with dignity (government benefits). Over those years... I had numerous CA Dept. Of Rehabilitation Counselors
When I was in my late 20's (without a car) I took a bus to the New School Aikido; after 5 years of training,
I gained a 1st Degree Black Belt.In 2008, Mother was diagnosed with Multiple Myloma (Cancer) and, in 2009 she had me move into the Centertown Apartments (in San Rafael) to more easily aid her. She had me take a driving test and, I regained a driver's license; I would drive her to UCSF Medical Center for care, therapy and treatment; Mother passed away a few months later. Her life-span was 12/7/1931 – 07/07/14. Hmmmmm...
After Mother passed away on July 7th of 2014, my older brother, Dr. Jesse David, had me move into an apartment complex in Los Angeles County, so that I was closer to family, if there was an emergency. Well... There, I could not stand the polluted atmosphere and a community that I was not familiar with, in an polluted atmosphere to be like a sewage pit (compared to the north San Francisco Bay Area).
In August of 2015, I moved into the Tierra Springs Apartments, and lived there for 6 years.
In 2021, I met Alice (a native of Fiji) and; we embarked on a devoted/committed relationship. Among those four years... COVID was elevating the death toll in the nation.
After knowing each other for a few years, we got married on Dec 13th of 2020; then, in June of 2021, we moved into a decent complex in Sacramento, "The PIQUE at Iron Point". After residing there for a few months, I didn't care for the humid atmosphere of Sacramento County, in a secluded area that I was not familiar with and, I reminisced on living in Santa Rosa, So, a year later...
We moved into a large home neighboring Sonoma State University, in Rohnert Park; we lived there for a year and, we decided that the four-bedroom home was too large and pricey.
When my brother's old BMW was in need of pricey repair... I got a 2021 white Tesla 3. Amen.
The following year, in December of 2022, we moved into The Boulders At Fountaingrove, a smaller apartment complex in the Fountaingrove Parkway, a nice neighborhood close to Keysight Technologies, (formerly Hewlett Packard and Agilent), Medtronic and Kaiser.
After living there for a year, in 2024, we moved into a nicer larger modern home, in Santa Rosa.
Although the injury had a large impact on me in the past, I have recuperated exceptionally and, have no distinct disability, other than an “auditory retention” deficit, that has gradually healed over the years.