Thirty years ago, Patty and Daryl Zappe welcomed their son, Evan, into the world at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose. Last week, they walked back through those same doors—not to celebrate a birth, but to witness the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
From the day he was born, they have loved Evan unconditionally, encouraged him through every challenge and championed every milestone. Now, they stood beside him once again as Evan embarked on a journey that had the potential to change his life forever.
For as long as he can remember, Morgan Hill native Evan Zappe has lived with essential tremor, a neurological disorder that causes involuntary shaking. Diagnosed at just 4 years old, the now 30-year-old has spent his life adapting to challenges most people never think about: holding a glass of water, signing his name, carrying a plate of food or playing the guitar.
“The hardest part isn’t always the shaking,” Evan said before his procedure. “It’s the frustration that I feel and that people assume that I’m nervous, cold or something else entirely.”
Growing up in Morgan Hill, Evan never let essential tremor define him. He played baseball, loved being in the Boy Scouts, graduated from Live Oak High School and built the quick wit and easygoing personality his family and friends know so well.
His parents made sure of that.
Rather than shielding Evan from life’s challenges, Patty and Daryl encouraged him to experience everything other kids did. When tying knots in Boy Scouts took longer or everyday tasks became frustrating, they resisted the urge to step in, believing that every accomplishment, no matter how hard-earned, would help build his confidence and independence.
Earlier this year, Evan’s neurologist shared news that would change everything: Good Samaritan Hospital had begun offering Insightec focused ultrasound, a non-invasive treatment for essential tremor. Unlike traditional brain surgery, the procedure uses MRI guidance and focused ultrasound energy to precisely treat the tiny area of the brain responsible for the tremor—without an incision.
After researching the treatment and seeing the results, Evan knew he was ready.
“For 30 years of my life, I never thought something like this was real,” he said. “To think I might look down and see a steady hand—it means the world to me.”
This week, Evan became one of the youngest patients in the U.S. to receive the treatment.
Performed by Dr. Fahd Khan, neurosurgeon and Chief of Staff at Good Samaritan Hospital, the outpatient procedure treated the tremor affecting Evan’s left hand. His parents and sister, Jessika, waited just outside the MRI suite, hoping for the moment they had imagined for decades.
When Evan came out of the procedure room, the emotion from everyone was immediate. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Evan wiped away tears and reached out to shake Dr. Khan’s hand, a moment that captured the significance of what he had just experienced after years of living with essential tremor.
After big smiles and hugs from his family, Evan was handed an open cup of water and took a drink without the constant shaking that had been part of his life for so long. Tears continued to fill the room as his family, and his care team, watched a simple act become an unforgettable milestone.
“You spend years wishing you could take this away from your child, and you know you can’t,” Patty said. “Watching Evan smile and hold that cup of water with a steady hand… I’ll never forget that moment.”
“We’ve never wanted perfection,” Daryl said. “We’ve just wanted Evan to have every opportunity to live the life he deserves. If he can do the things he loves and simply enjoy the little things most of us take for granted—that’s everything we’ve ever hoped for.”
Dr. Khan added, “Evan’s story is exactly why Good Samaritan Hospital is committed to bringing leading-edge technology to our community. Helping someone regain confidence in everyday activities is incredibly meaningful, especially for someone who has lived with essential tremor since childhood.”
Evan, who loves cooking, camping, working on his bicycle and spending time with family and friends, is already looking ahead to returning in nine months to have his dominant right hand treated.
The only downside Evan could find with the procedure was having to shave his head—but he took it in stride, joking that it was a “free haircut” and a small price to pay for the possibility of a steadier future.
More than anything, he hopes sharing his experience encourages others living with essential tremor, or tremor associated with Parkinson’s disease, to know they are not alone and that this non-invasive treatment option exists.
For the Zappe family, this story began three decades ago in a maternity room at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose. This week, it came full circle.
Hope didn’t arrive with a grand gesture. It arrived with something beautifully simple—a steady hand.
