Brother Fre

Heart Space

Alternate Tuesdays from 12:00 AM to 4:00 AM

A chance to go over the edge.

On Earth Since: 10th of March, 1947

Hometown: Oakland, CA

With KVMR Since: 1990

Email: brother.fre @ kvmr.org

I was born in Oakland, California on the 10th of March, 1947. I could walk and talk by the very young age of 8 months, but at 16 months came down with Spinal Meningitis that was rampant at that time. After 8 weeks in hospital, 1 week in a coma with a temperature of at least 104° Fahrenheit, my parents were advised by my doctors to put me away in a home as they believed that if I survived I'd have extensive brain damage and would probably be mentally retarded.

Before my parents could make a decision they were approached by a then, still young, Dr. Salk, who asked them if he could treat me with a possible new Sulfa-based vaccine that he was working on. They consented, and I miraculously survived, though was unable to walk or talk then. It took till my 3rd birthday before I regained the ability to walk and talk. But my father never got over it and treated me thereafter like I was a dumb, stupid, helpless child.

After graduating from High School in June of 1965, I joined the US Army, and volunteered for Vietnam duty after my full training. During Basic Training testing I found out that I had, then, an IQ of 133, and after advance training I was allowed to take Airborne training, then Special Forces training, after which I went to South Vietnam in May of 1966, and remained until my Honorable Discharge in November 1968.

While in Vietnam with the Military Army Command Vietnam Special Operations Group I was assigned to the 8th XRT-IV Corps stationed south of Saigon in the Mekong Delta region. I was wounded twice, earning a Purple Heart for each unrelated injury. On the 5th of November 1966 my unit was decorated with the Presidential Unite Citation by the then President, Lyndon B. Johnson, during his short visit to Ton Son Neut Air Base. Upon Honorable Discharge I had accumulated a grand total of 10 Army medals, and have been awarded 8 since, for which my parents were both proud and astounded considering my bout with Spinal Meningitis.

I entered a Buddhist-Taoist Monastery in the Santa Cruz Mountains in January of 1969 and took my preliminary vows and was ordained on the 13th of August 1971. On the 28th of February 1975 I took my formal vows, was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity in Khó-N'gha Dhaóism, and was given my religious name, which I legally took and have used exclusively since. I then spent 3 years at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, receiving my Associate of Arts in Asian Studies in June of 1978. I was elected HeadMaster of my Religious Order in December 1982. (See www.kdro.org for info on this Religious Order, if you're curious)

I retired to Grass Valley on my birthday of 1989 and now facilitate my Religious Order's Reference Library from here. I raise parrots to supplement my small VA pension. I have been associated with KVMR-fm since 1990 by my friendship with Daryl Jensen, and got certified in 2001. Though I took over the show "Heart Space" in 2002 when Daryl Jensen moved out of town and was unable to continue the show himself, I'd rather think of my volunteering as a broadcaster more inclined to call my show 'Radio Insanity' as I play British and American Comedy recordings, and draw randomly from my personal musical library and KVMR's extensive musical library, playing tracks at random. Another of my specialties is to play musical DVDs followed up by other recordings of the featured band or artist. I look forward to many more years volunteering here at KVMR.