Erickson and Hong Orthodontics

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Duane Erickson on June 14th, 2024 after a battle with ALS. He was a great man and will be missed greatly.

Happy Halloween 🧜‍♀️🧞‍♂️🧛‍♂️🦸‍♂️🦸‍♀️

DR. ERICKSON - RETIREMENT NOTICE

Dear Doctors, Patients, and Friends,

First, I want to thank you for the trust and opportunity you have given me and my team to provide your and/or your children’s orthodontic care. It has meant the world to me. Unfortunately, some medical problems have sped up my retirement a little faster than I had planned.
In February of 2021, just days after my Moderna Covid vaccination, I started to develop signs and symptoms of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Since then, I have lost 80% of my muscle strength, 70% of my lung capacity and 60 pounds of weight. Though I was still able to work, these issues made it impossible to enjoy the leisure activities of my life (cycling, tennis, basketball, and hiking).
To make matters worse and probably due to the ALS, in May of this year, I fell head first, down a flight of steps at my house and broke my neck in 4 places. That required same day surgery to put my neck back together and 6 weeks of recovery and rehabilitation in the hospital. I am lucky that there was not much pain with the fall and surgery. The plates, screws and rods used to stabilize my neck have severely limited my head’s range of motion and made it not possible for me to practice orthodontics any longer.
However, I am very fortunate to be able to transfer your care to my partner of 14 years, Dr. Jean Hong. She is an outstanding orthodontist and a kind and compassionate woman. Your care could not be in any better hands!
Outside of work, I have a beautiful family and wonderful friends. I’ve had the opportunity to cycle and travel around our country and the world extensively. At work, I’ve had a job that I loved for over 40 years, a great partner in Dr. Hong, a terrific team that helped me achieve my dreams, and wonderful patients like you! Again, thank you, thank you, a million times thank you!!

Sincerely,
Duane Erickson, DDS

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