Saturday marked the four-year anniversary of the passing of Heaven Hill Distillery’s Master Distiller Emeritus and titan of the American Whiskey industry, Parker Beam. Each year, we remember Parker’s legacy and reflect on his impact on Heaven Hill and the industry.

We’re excited to share the story of Stephan Korner, a former UPS B-757/767 captain who was diagnosed with Progressive Bulbar Palsy (also known as Bulbar Onset ALS), in January 2019.

Recently, Stephan reached out to Kate Latts in search of a bottle of Parker’s Heritage Collection (PHC) to gift to his doctor at the Mayo Clinic. He explained that he is personally a huge fan of Heaven Hill products and was excited to share PHC with his doctor, who is an American Whiskey fan.

We were honored to host Stephan at the Bourbon Heritage Center for a private tour and tasting and to provide him with, not only a bottle of Parker’s Heritage Collection 12th Edition for his doctor, but several other Heaven Hill products to add to his collection.

“I drove down to Bardstown with my dog Stella, and Mr. Jeff Crowe treated me like royalty!” said Stephan. “I am extremely grateful to both Mrs. Latts and Mr. Crowe. Since I can no longer talk, I used my Boogie board to communicate, and Jeff told me how much Parker was loved by everyone. He even came out to the car to say hello to Stella and showed me pictures of his dogs.”

Stephan first learned about Parker Beam at an ALS support group meeting. The ALS Association office had a bottle of Parker’s Heritage Collection on display, and, as a Bourbon fan, he was curious about the story behind it. This led him to do some research on his own, reading about Parker’s story and Heaven Hill’s support of ALS research.

“What inspires me about Mr. Beam is how highly everyone thought of him, which is a sign of a great person,” said Stephan. “He dealt with his illness very gracefully, so my goal is to do the same and keep the smile on my face. Every once in a while, a foul ball connects, and this time, it was my turn, so I have to make the best of it. I tell people that if my stem cell treatment doesn’t work, plan B for me is Bourbon.”

Stephan’s ALS symptoms first appeared in July 2018 when he began experiencing mild slurred speech. In January 2019 the slurring progressed, leading him to visit several doctors in the Louisville area. When all testing was inconclusive, he visited the Mayo Clinic, and after extensive testing, was officially diagnosed with ALS. Since then, Stephan has completely lost his speech and has begun experiencing further symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, weakened diaphragm muscles, weakness in his fingers and legs and hypercapnia, an accumulation of CO2 in the blood.

Stephan is currently part of a stem cell trial at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in hopes of slowing the progression of his symptoms. Additionally he attends a multidisciplinary ALS Clinic at the University of Louisville Hospital every three months to manage his symptoms. The stem cell trial consists of 16 trips to Rochester where the treatment is administered. His wife, who is also a pilot, has flown him there for several treatments, and his daughter has driven him on several occasions. Upon starting the stem cell trial, Stephan discovered that his Radiologist, Dr. Derek Johnson, was a huge Bourbon aficionado as well. ​​​​​​​

“At that point I decided that a really fitting gift for him would be a bottle of Parker’s Heritage Collection since the release is in memory of Mr. Parker Beam and it raises funds for ALS research,” said Stephan. “However, finding a bottle of Parker’s Heritage Collection is no easy task. After visiting many liquor stores with no luck, a friend suggested I reach out to Heaven Hill directly.

Stephan said his doctor was shocked, thrilled and grateful to receive the bottle, telling Stephan Heaven Hill would be his favorite distillery from then on. Bonding over their shared interest in Bourbon, Stephan has encouraged him to visit Kentucky and tour the Bourbon Heritage Center.

“Mr. Korner was wonderful. I just wanted to keep spending time with him,” said Jeff Crowe. “He was truly a joy to have with us, and he cried when we told him we wanted to give him the bottle of Parker’s Heritage Collection for free.”

Jeff took Stephan on a tour of the rickhouse and treated him to a tasting of Parker’s Heritage Collection 12th Edition. Stephan purchased several products to give to his doctor for his collection.

“Mr. Korner’s story is truly moving, and I’m so glad that he reached out,” said Kate Latts. “Parker was a force here at Heaven Hill and in our industry. His dedication to supporting ALS research was so inspiring and I think he would be proud that we were able to support Mr. Korner in his journey with ALS. I have enjoyed getting to know Mr. Korner and that, like Parker, his spirit and positivity are inspiring as he battles this awful disease.” Heaven Hill was honored to have Stephan as a guest at the Bourbon Heritage Center and to share his story.

Remembering Parker Beam’s Legacy

Parker joined the Heaven Hill family in 1960 as a sixth-generation distiller in his storied family of Jim Beam Bourbon royalty. He became Heaven Hill Master Distiller in 1975, earning numerous awards for distilling, aging and selecting some of the world’s most acclaimed Bourbons.

Parker passed away on January 9, 2017, from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, at age 75.  He was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2010 and​ waged a very courageous and public battle with the dreaded disease. During his fight he was dedicated to raising awareness for the disease, fundraising enormous sums for the ALS Association of Kentucky through his Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund (The Promise) and Heaven Hill’s contribution of sales from its annual release, and Parker’s signature line, Parker’s Heritage Collection.

The Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund was established by Beam and his wife Linda as a research and treatment endowment that has seen millions of dollars raised. Today, Parker’s legacy and traditions live on through The Promise, distillery practices, and visitor center experiences.

The past eight editions of Parker’s Heritage Collection (2013-2020), have helped raise more than $1 million toward ALS research and patient care. The Promise has proven significantly impactful to the ALS community and beyond, as you will hear in the testimonials in the video above, which was presented at the 2018 Heaven Hill National Sales Meeting. ​​​

Heaven Hill shares its condolences with Parker’s immediate and extended family: Linda, Craig, Nichole, Leslie, Julie, and their families. Learn more about Parker Beam’s legacy here.