Last week was a very unusual experience for me—it was the first time I’ve been hospitalized in over 25 years. To make a long story short, for two weeks prior to my admission, I was having breathing problems upon exertion, like when I’d walk a few blocks or work out at the gym with my trainer. After much cajoling by my staff at Mike Kelly Law Group, last Wednesday I finally went to see my internist, Dr. Bradley Word. He performed an EKG and, much to my dismay, promptly ordered me into the hospital!

I was diagnosed with an atrial flutter—so off to Prisma Health Heart Hospital I went. It was certainly not the news I wanted to hear from my doctor, but it was a blessing that I sought medical attention when I did. Thanks to the excellent care from my nurses, Michelle, Carlos, Jennifer, and Michael, and Drs. Altman, Senn, and Isbell of Prisma Health Cardiology, I am as good as new after a successful cardiac ablation in the Cath lab. The atrial flutter is no longer an issue in Mike Kelly’s life, and I am extremely thankful for the exemplary medical care I received last week. Those two days in the hospital by myself really put my life in perspective and caused me to refocus my dedication to my family, my work, and my Maker!

Thanks to all of my caregivers, and thanks to God above, for fixing me up and allowing me to reboot and refocus the rest of my life! I am blessed!

I try to keep the weekly KellyGram a balance between legal information and whatever happens to be on Mike Kelly’s mind at the time, LOL! I’m honored to say that my client base is numbered in the thousands, and it has been driven home to me in the last several weeks that, if there is one simple legal tip that folks need to hear from me, it is this:

Check your auto insurance policies and make sure you have sufficient uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage!

Car accidents can have catastrophic consequences—from life-altering injuries to the loss of a loved one. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of helping countless clients obtain a fair recovery after suffering these types of injuries. Unfortunately, though, I have also had to deliver heart-breaking news to too many accident victims: that their medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses far exceed the amount of insurance carried by the driver who hit them. When they’ve declined to purchase underinsured motorist coverage, these individuals can find themselves facing a heavy financial burden on top of their physical and emotional injuries.

Please check your policies to make sure you have adequate uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance; it is the best way to protect yourself from ending up in this situation. The coverage is inexpensive and needs to be on every one of your automobiles. I hope it will never become necessary to use it, but if it does, you’ll be glad you had this protection in place. A tip from your lawyer, Mike Kelly!

When I joined the Gills Creek Watershed Association several years ago, I was already championing many causes, but I was not particularly an environmentalist. I was persuaded to join the board by two friends of mine from St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields, who were also board members, because of my previous fundraising experience. In the years since, I have learned SO much about environmental management and preservation through Gills Creek Watershed’s restore, educate, and advocate initiatives!

Roughly 185,000 Richland County residents live in the watershed, which travels from the Spring Valley/Wildewood area all the way down to the Congaree River, and the Gills Creek Watershed Association offers tons of resources to the public to learn more about this aspect of our local environment. Although we have had to alter the way we conduct business due to COVID-19, the Gills Creek Watershed Association is nonetheless on a roll in terms of restoring, educating, and advocating during the pandemic thanks to the organization’s leadership—including Board Chair Trish Jerman former Chair Madilyn Fletcher—along with its outstanding staff members, Carmony Adler (Executive Director) and Mary Virginia Tynan (Membership/Outreach Coordinator). We have some cool opportunities to get virtually involved coming up in the month of October, such as an online race and a free wildlife webinar—I encourage you to check them out and learn a bit about your own backyard!

Today I want to salute a pillar in the Midlands community, Transitions, located at the corner of Main and Elmwood in downtown Columbia. Mike Kelly Law Group has been a proud supporter of Transitions for several years, and we cannot be more pleased with the work that the organization is doing to serve the homeless in our community. Not only does Transitions provide meals, transitional housing, employment services, and educational opportunities to those in need, but it also partners with over 55 area agencies—including LRADAC, MIRCI, Columbia Area Mental Health Center, and Cooperative Health—to ensure its clients have access to healthcare and other ancillary services.

Needless to say, homelessness takes a heavy toll on the mind and body, so much so that a person experiencing chronic homelessness is likely to have comparable or worse health conditions than someone who is decades older but with a permanent home. Unfortunately, securing permanent housing has proven to be a particularly difficult challenge for homeless individuals in 2020 due to a decline in employment opportunities and available affordable housing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the pandemic has also caused Transitions to see a decline in critical resources, including financial support and volunteers. Nonetheless, Transitions has continued to faithfully serve its clients and forge new partnerships during this unprecedented time.

I salute Transitions for its unwavering commitment to the homeless men and women of the Midlands—keep up the good work!

I started playing golf when I was in middle school, and while I have never been particularly good at it, I have certainly enjoyed many, many rounds on the links with my friends over the years. Although I haven’t played lately, I’m still an avid golf watcher, and my favorite golfer in the last ten years has clearly been Dustin Johnson!

Dustin grew up in Irmo, went to Dutch Fork High School, and was an All-American at Coastal Carolina University. He has already won 23 PGA Tour events, with the latest being his greatest win thus far: the FedEx Cup Tour Championship, which concluded on Monday at East Lake Country Club in Atlanta. On Sunday and Monday, I watched every shot Dustin made and put in at least 8 hours watching him win the biggest payday in PGA tour history–$15 million!

Dustin grew up as a member of our stellar South Carolina Junior Golf Association, which has sent many South Carolina natives to the PGA and LPGA Tours. In my opinion, however, Dustin is the best golfer ever to come out of the state of South Carolina! When he is “dialed in,” as my friend Harry Bell commented to me yesterday, he is virtually unbeatable, and he is young enough that the best is yet to come! Dustin will take a short break, then next week he’ll be playing in the US Open Championship, which he won in 2016. After that, the Masters is set to be played in November, and he’s likely to be the favorite in both of these major tournaments!

Finally, it should be noted that Dustin does not just take his money and go home. He supports many charitable projects, namely the Dustin Johnson Foundation, which provides opportunities for youths to learn, play, and contend on the golf course.

Go DJ! Hit ’em straight!

It is hard to believe that it is already September, but sure enough, Labor Day weekend is upon us! Labor Day traditionally signifies the end of the summer season and the start of fall activities like football games, baseball playoffs, and the delightful fall festivals for which many of South Carolina’s small towns are known. This year, of course, the holiday—and the forthcoming fall festivities it promises—will be very different from what we’re used to as we continue to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and practice social distancing.

However, even though this Labor Day weekend may not be the celebration we’re accustomed to, I would urge everyone to use the holiday as an opportunity to relax, take some time for yourself, and unwind. Due to travel restrictions and thwarted vacation plans, many people have not taken a break from work during this extraordinarily stressful year. Taking time off helps keep stress at bay and is essential to our wellbeing—now, more than ever, we need to take a pause! So this weekend, I plan to kick back, unplug, and count my blessings, and I encourage you all to do the same!

In my four decades of practicing law here in South Carolina, I have seen LOTS of changes take place within the legal profession. That being said, the impact that COVID-19 made on the practice of law in just a short amount of time is absolutely unprecedented. Within a matter of days, phone and video conferences replaced in-person client meetings, Zoom depositions became the new normal, and court appearances transitioned from the courtroom to Webex. Jury trials, which are the very heart of our justice system, had to be postponed indefinitely.

The year 2020 has been an unbelievable one for all of us with the arrival of COVID-19, and it has taken a particularly heavy toll on the performing arts community. The exciting season that Columbia’s beloved Trustus Theatre—where my son is a company member—had lined up in celebration of the venue’s 35th anniversary was forced to an abrupt halt by the pandemic, so I’m delighted to share that this week, the Free Times Best of Columbia 2020 listings brought some good news for the ladies and gents at Trustus! The Trustus Theatre was voted Best Local Theatre Company, and its production of A Street Car Named Desire won Best Local Theatre Production!

Once again, credit is due to my preacher—Rector of St. Martins-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, the Reverend Mitchell Smith—for inspiring the topic of this week’s KellyGram! Earlier this week, he sent out an e-blast in which he wrote about the Gospel of the Canaanite woman who, through her great persistence and demonstration of faith, persuaded Jesus to heal her daughter. This Gospel story is particularly relevant as we approach August 18th and the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

Women’s suffrage was a momentous, albeit limited, victory in the long and ongoing fight for women’s equality. At the time, the Nineteenth Amendment did not secure the right to vote for all women; many women of color were unable to exercise that right until forty-five years later, after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That being said, the Nineteenth Amendment was still a significant step in the right direction on the path towards true equality for all people.

After a 34-year career working by my side at my law firm, Sally Grisetti has elected to retire. The news is bittersweet. We certainly support Sally’s decision and are happy that she will have more time to enjoy life and her family; nonetheless, her departure saddens each and every member of her firm family. Sally’s absence will certainly leave an unfillable void at Mike Kelly Law Group.

Sally first came to work with me in July 1986, as a receptionist at my old firm. She excelled at her work and eventually earned a position as a workers’ compensation and Social Security Disability paralegal. Of course, Sally brought much more to the firm than a strong work ethic; her ever-upbeat attitude impacted the entire office atmosphere and uplifted us all. Sally has never met a stranger, and she always wears a dazzling smile and simply radiates positivity. The most popular person in the Mike Kelly Law Group family is not Mike Kelly; it is our “Queen,” Sally Grisetti! If I am the head of the firm, she surely is its heart.