The Author
Richard M. Brodsky grew up in the suburbs of New York City. He is the middle son of Herbert and Gladys Brodsky. In 1970 Richard began attending Pratt Institute and in 1975 he graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. A severe recession was crippling the American economy in 1975. Richard chose to launch his career in Iran, an oil rich boomtown in those days. After fifteen months Richard returned home to surprise his family on Mother's Day, twenty-five years ago.
Richard's next journey brought him to Houston, another boomtown but closer to home. There he met and shortly after married the love of his life, Jodi. The couple moved to New York in 1980, and by 1988 they had three wonderful girls. The proud father's architectural practice was flourishing and life was good, exceedingly so. But as good as things were, Richard was about to uncover a gay side of his life that he thought had long ago been buried. At age forty Richard became involved with men. Then the inevitable happened, and Richard's world crashed. He had to inform his wife after seventeen years of marriage that he was bisexual and HIV positive.
Jodi and Richard had to plan their future, separately or together. Judging by the title, "Jodi, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told", it is obvious that in their case, love really does conquer all. The metamorphosis of the couple's relationship over the next four years proves to be a tear-jerking, humorous, poetic, romantic, courageous, honest and heartwarming journey. Richard's restless energy unfailingly takes us above mountaintops, on balloon trips to the moon, and occasionally you will even find the author talking to trees. If that isn't enough, the trees answer back in verse. Moving along at a record-breaking clip, Richard and Jodi have made marathon running an integral part of their life. Richard's marathon times have actually improved as he has gotten older, and he made his fastest time fifteen months after being diagnosed HIV positive. Realizing that his HIV status has not hindered his healthy lifestyle, Richard's message is: Let's get the AIDS medicine out to all AIDS sufferers.
