E5S7 - Giving and Getting Support: Burnham Boat Sling’s Peter Kermond

This is the third episode in a series on heart attacks and emergency preparedness. In this multi-part series you’ll hear first hand accounts from rowers who survived heart attacks, teammates and coaches who witnessed these events, and even from widows who reflect on warning signs and “what ifs.”

On this episode:
Peter Kermond has been the face and voice of Burnham Boat Slings since purchasing the business in 1999. When he's not in the shop, or out rowing, he is probably manning a Burnham booth at a regatta. That’s where we met him - at Head of the Charles - in 2022, just a month after he survived a widowmaker heart attack. Peter and his wife Carin Reynolds are both successful national team members, masters rowers, and high school coaches. They are also a testament to teamwork, as they navigated Peter’s health emergency and rehabilitation, and his return to racing.

Other episodes in this series:

Sue and John Hooten’s Mutual Admiration Society

For One Heart Attack Survivor, the Beat Goes On

 

QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Episode lead-in
02:20 - The Huddle: Get to know Peter and Carin
04:40 - Rowing Week: erg and tank workouts
06:12 - Hot Seat Q&A
10:59 - Peter got hooked on rowing in high school training, traveling, and racing in the summer with Belmont Rowing Club
13:22 - Carin’s college sophomore experience with “WRECK” rowing
14:10 - Peter and Carin met in 1984 as members of the US  LTWT National Team, reconnected years later as coaches in New Hampshire
15:59 - The day in 2022 when Peter had a widowmaker heart attack
24:12 - Family history, no warning
25:45 - Rehab, getting back in the boat, and feeling better than before the heart attack
31:08 - Support from the rowing community
32:32 - Bringing awareness to friends and rowers about heart health
35:59 - Finding perfect strokes on the Connecticut River in Hanover, NH
39:47 - Burnham coastal products, Blackburn Challenge, and Race Around the Rock
47:10 - Tom’s Tips
49:10 - SSN events and initiatives

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To see photos of Peter and Carin, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty, Live2Row, EB5 Investors, RowSource, and our Patrons.

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This episode was written, produced, hosted, and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering and is our sponsor coordinator. Rachel manages the website, social media, and e-newsletter. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.