Dr. Todd Frisch - Practice of Chiropractic

Dr. Todd says everything that is true, correct, and honorable about him, he owes to his mom and Aunt Carrie. His mom and dad separated when he was an infant. His brothers, mom, and he were taken in by his Aunt Carrie and Uncle Herman. Uncle Herman passed away when Todd was 6 years old, and his mom and Aunt continued raising the boys. He never knew they were poor…they never let that thought enter the boys minds. Their richness came from love of family. Kindness and knowing right from wrong were deeply instilled. They thought they “had it all” because they were always helping others…they lived to give! To this very day, Todd is the most generous man people have ever encountered. Whether it be his gifts, his love, his time, his heart…he always gives above and beyond. Aunt Carrie died when Todd was in college, and his mom is still going strong at age 88.

He was the youngest of three boys. Whatever his brothers did, he did the opposite. They hunted and fished…Todd was the athlete. They always loved each other and were all allowed, by their mom, to grow to their own potential. Each is successful in his own right and so very different from one another, yet they are all such giving, loving, and caring men. To this day, when the three men get together, they relive their childhood memories, and everyone laughs hysterically at their story telling, especially mom. Anyone who knows Todd well, gets to hear the story of his last cigarette and his one and only sip of coffee as an eighth grader. They are classics!

When he was 16 years old, he got his first job at the local Clark gas station in his hometown of Merrill, WI. If he could have hand-picked his boss of choice, he wonders if he would have had the “smarts” to choose Lindy Porath. In all of life, one strives to find mentors they can model their life after, and Lindy was the perfect model. Todd’s father died when he was just 9 years old from alcoholism, and as a boy typically looks up to his father, Todd looked up to Lindy. Lindy respected people and gave everyone a chance to succeed. He supported them when they succeeded and more if they didn’t. If you ask Todd, Lindy was one of the greatest men he has ever known. Lindy taught Todd to be a man of integrity. Having Lindy as his example is not surprising that Todd’s employees share they have never had a better boss. His motto: pay them well and give them lots of time off. Christmas is everyone’s favorite. Todd is the original Santa! He loves to give gifts…even his staffs’ spouses reap the benefits. Todd truly believes he is only as successful as his team helps him to be.

Doctors are taught early in their training to always keep their private life separate from their professional life. Don’t fraternize with your staff, and for goodness sake, never open up the door to personal friendship with your patients. That has never been his belief system. Sharing all of his life is simply who he is. Many of his dearest friends came out of his relationship with them as a patient first.

Loosing his first two children brought much sadness into his young life. Katie lived 20 minutes. Brady, the red head, lived 5 months. Both did not breathe at birth but were revived. Katie did not make it, and Brady eventually succumbed to the damage his brain sustained from a lack of oxygen at birth. These experiences enable him to have a tenderness of heart that serves him with his patients, as well as with his children. A year and a half later, God blessed him with Casey, his first of three healthy children. Three years later, along came Toby. Last but not least, Abbie. As luck may have it, he gained another two amazing stepsons, Dan and David, when he remarried. Naturally, it is instinct to love one’s own children, but as a male it is not always easy to love another’s; however, Dan and David changed all of that for him. All five have a distinctive and special place in his heart.

In December of 1995, he married the love of his life, Linda. Together they make such a dynamic team. Not only does he attribute much of his professional success to Linda, but also in his private life. He considers himself a man blessed beyond belief. He always tells friends “he hit the mother load” when he married Linda. He truly enjoys home life, and as empty nesters, he and Linda, shed no tears as the blended loving care they once focused on all five kids, is now devoted to nurturing each other.

Todd is a man with many interests and hobbies, such as; antiquing, woodworking, gardening, crossword puzzles, reading and he can out shop any female who is up for the challenge. He put himself through chiropractic school with a little side antique business. In between studying, he would refinish antiques and resell them. He earned less his first year as a doctor than his last year in chiropractic school as an antique dealer and wondered if he chose the right career. He continues to hunt for that “one of a kind” antique for his own personal collection and still enjoys refinishing what he finds. Woodworking is another one of his hobbies. Repairing antique furniture taught him a lot, and everyone knows he secretly would love to be a cabinet maker. He is proud of all the cabinetry he built in his current home, but teases that he better keep his day job. Gardening is a passion that both he and his wife enjoy together. Everything he puts his heart into, he does with passion.

They say that a “dog” is a man’s best friend…how lucky Todd is…he has had three best friends. Red Dog and Buster, (who sadly passed since this original posting), and Shadow all strayed their way into Todd’s heart. He believes them to be his gift from heaven. When Linda said she wanted to get a standard poodle, she had a hard time convincing Todd. His first response: that's not a dog, that's a sissy. Well, after being harrassed by many of his patients, he finally came on board with the decision. Welcome to the family, baby Stanley. He is a chocolate standard, three months old, with a white chest. He is the most adorable and cuddly buddy, and guess what?

Todd is crazy about him. Shadow's pretty agreeable with having a puppy invading his sanctuary too.

Being raised in a German Lutheran family, Christianity was the foundation of his earliest spiritual teachings. As far back as he can remember, Jesus was the way and the truth of his faith. The customs and practices of the traditional Christian upbringing have given way to worshiping in a non-denominational, charismatic Christian church. Being a Christian is woven into every aspect of his life. As such, it is his strongest belief that teaching by example is the greatest testimony others may witness. It is the moral quality and integrity that make a man and those who know him can attest to him being a man of extraordinary reputation.

All too often we wonder about the “personal life” of the physician’s we have entrusted our health needs to. We hope this has introduced you to the spirit of this doctor and leads you to discover that there is never an idle moment in the life of Todd…the man.