Shipley's Choice Resident Transcends Parkinson's Diagnosis

By John Singleton
On a good day, Supereena Kapoor can still manage to walk without a cane. On bad days, she can barely get out bed; her muscles knotted and locked in place. It’s been 11 years since Supereena, at age 34, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
“The disease is different in a young person than it is in an older person,” explained the Shipley’s Choice resident. “Because a younger person’s muscles are denser the muscle contractions are more noticeable. It’s less like shaking and more like I’m doing the twist.”

Supereena, a single-mother of two, is determined to keep her sense of humor despite a disease that is slowly robbing her of her independence. Parkinson’s is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that manifests itself in tremors, slowness of movement, and postural instability. For those under age 45, Parkinson’s Disease is relatively rare, and an estimated one third of those with young onset Parkinson’s suffer from depression – but not Supereena Kapoor.
“Eventually I will be in a wheelchair, but that’s not the end of the world. It’s a progressive disease. There’s no way around it,” added Kapoor, who graduated from Severna Park High School in 1984. “I want to show my children I’m taking positive steps to care for them and myself, and that’s why I’ve retrofitted my house to accommodate our needs.”
Enter Bryan Murray of Chesapeake Deck and Home. Murray and his wife Judy founded their small, Arnold-based construction company in 1994. When the Kapoor project came up for bid including a kitchen renovation and master bedroom addition, it was understood the new design would be ADA-compliant with lower countertops and wheelchair-accessible stoves and sinks. What Bryan Murray didn’t know was how much his friendship with his new client would change his life.
“From day one it was instant family with Supereena. There have been days when I have worked side-by-side with her physical therapist and lifted Supereena off the floor. My wife and I have shopped for Supereena on weekends,” added Murray, a 1994 graduate of St. Mary’s High School. “And the friendship goes both ways.”
Murray tells the story of how his foreman Mario arrived on-site one bitter January day in a pair of old boots with holes in them. Unbeknownst to each other, both Bryan and Supereena met Mario the next morning with separate surprises: Bryan greeted his top employee with a new pair of work boots; Supereena handed Mario a new sweatshirt, long underwear, and a heavy work jacket to stave off the winter chill.
Small acts of kindness have defined their friendship. Supereena calls Bryan her “contractor BFF” and Bryan, who has a degree in graphic design from University of Maryland, says every morning begins with a hug. The Kapoor renovation project was completed at the end of February.
“From the beginning, Bryan was always concerned about me. It wasn’t just another construction project to him,” summarized Ms. Kapoor, who planned an open house in March to show off Bryan Murray’s handiwork. “He knew I was on a budget and he knew that I had good days and bad days. Bryan and his family have made many personal sacrifices to he help me build a home that is safe and functional. I’m very grateful for their friendship,” she concluded.