by Sasha Reddy
Jayant “Jay” Patel is a cherished daily visitor to the club, even at 84 years old. As a founding member of HAC, he’s been religiously attending since he joined in 2007, shortly after Hockessin Athletic Club opened.
Jay moved from India to the United States in 1962 to pursue a master’s degree in chemical engineering at Berkeley. After achieving his degree, he settled in Delaware in 1967, where he and his wife, Meena, raised their two children. Though their son and daughter grew up and moved across the country, Jay and Meena have remained Delaware residents for nearly 60 years.
In 2004, Jay’s daughter welcomed two twin sons into the world. Being a mom and physician in a high-demand job, she relied on family to help care for the kids. Thankfully, Jay and Meena graciously stepped in. The twins lived with them full-time in Delaware for the first three years of their lives. Every weekend, their daughter would make the hours-long trip from New York to spend time with her parents and play with her sons.
When the boys finally moved back in with their mom in 2007, Jay found himself looking for new ways to fill his time. His daughter suggested he join HAC, which had just opened its doors that June. Jay had played tennis casually for most of his life, and staying active had always been important to him, so HAC felt like a perfect fit.
Jay and Meena were immediately captivated by the club, particularly the Aquatics Complex. “This is like a six-star hotel or something,” Jay praises. “You go 1,000 miles to a resort… Nothing compares to this.” Though he didn’t know how to swim then, he decided to try some aqua fitness classes and eventually began lap swimming. A fellow member, Mary, even volunteered to help teach him the basics. Jay also began utilizing some of the weightlifting machines on the main level, often asking questions of HAC’s training team to fine-tune his routine.
“I love to talk, and this is a wonderful place to talk.”
Jay underwent knee replacement surgery in June of 2023. The recovery was difficult and fraught with unexpected complications from loss of appetite to dizzy spells and fatigue. Even his kids, who both work in the medical field, were stumped. “The doctors are not God,” he reflects. “They do the best they can.” Though he was out of commission for a few months, Jay eventually bounced back and resumed his daily visits to the club.
Jay half-jokingly credits the late actor George Burns as inspiration for his post-retirement lifestyle. Burns, who lived to be 100 years old, notoriously spent his later years in leisure; he woke up late, read the newspaper each morning, drank wine with most meals, enjoyed cigars often, and played bridge with friends daily. Though drinking and smoking don’t particularly appeal to Jay, like Burns, he takes his time with everything he does and appreciates life’s little luxuries. For Jay, the perfect day starts with 30 minutes of exercise, followed by a long lounge in the hot tub, a leisurely lunch, and a social game of bridge or karaoke night with his wife and friends. The club has become a sanctuary for enabling that slow-going lifestyle. “[HAC] has made my retirement life happier and healthier,” he says.
HAC has afforded Jay opportunities to not only stay active but also socialize and meet new people. “I love to talk,” he says, smiling, “and this is a wonderful place to talk. I talk to people from Poland, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iran, Bangladesh….Everyone has a life story.” Though Jay can’t remember every name and face he’s encountered, many conversations have stuck with him. Even his grandchildren have fond memories of HAC, having attended summer camp and played in the kids’ area many times during their childhoods.
“[HAC] has made my retirement life happier and healthier.”
To Jay, HAC is more than just a fitness center; it’s a place that makes his retirement fulfilling. Despite some pain in his shoulder and diminishing stamina, Jay still comes in regularly to swim laps or use the machines. Though he has slowed down somewhat with age, he is committed to staying active as long as possible. “I think physical fitness and happiness make you mentally happy,” he concludes. “You have to be grateful for every day.” And so, every day, Jay continues to swim, chat, and enjoy life to the fullest at his little slice of “Heaven” right here in Delaware.
