BOISE - This week's Idaho Life features KTVB meteorologist Larry Gebert. Waterskiing is his passion. He has hit the water year-round for 21 years with gusto despite injury - and even cancer.
"It started with a sales guy from Channel 7," explained Gebert.
That was back in 1997, shortly after Gebert joined the KTVB team. He quickly started waterskiing once a month, and after getting his own boat challenged himself to once a week.
He taught his wife, Julie, how to ski, as well as his stepsons Mike and David. Julie says it became a family ritual to go to Lucky Peak.
"It was great and it was definitely a lot of fun," said Julie.
Even when times got tough, the skiing never stopped. Gebert skied through a broken leg in 2003 and more recently prostate cancer.
"I made a deal with the doctor to do the (prostate) surgery right after the day I skied so I could get 12 days of recovery between," said Gebert.
Nothing has ever gotten in his way until last month.
"It was on week 995," said Gebert.
He badly hurt his hamstring on vacation. When he tried waterskiing the next week, back home, he ended up doing more damage.
"I said, 'that's it I'm done,'" said Gebert. "You have no idea how much I wanted to make it to 1,000 (weeks)."
It was an emotional end to skiing every week, but Gebert's monthly journey continues.
"So I've actually gone 21 years now and one month of waterskiing monthly," said Gebert.
He will keep it up, too, with Julie by his side. They can't wait to pass on their love of the sport to the next generation. Now that their children are married, grandkids could follow.
"I think one of the biggest thrills for us would be having the admiral drive the boat and me teaching them how to water ski," said Gebert.
Oh my gosh, yes," said Julie. "It would be a thrill, yes."