Harvey Silikovitz seated next to ‘Jeopardy!’ TV show host Ken Jennings.

“After living with Parkinson’s for five and a half years, it’s no longer just about wanting to do well for myself. I would like to give hope and inspiration to the people who are living with chronic illnesses,” said Harvey Silikovitz, 55, from West Orange, NJ, an accomplished attorney and Parkinson’s advocate.

In 2019, Harvey faced an unlikely setback in the pursuit of his lifelong dream, when he missed the call from TV show producers to appear as a contestant on “Jeopardy!” — the classic quiz game show. Just a few months later, Harvey, who had already begun experiencing symptoms of dystonia, a movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) at the age of 49.

After auditioning to appear on “Jeopardy!” multiple times, for a span of over two decades, and learning to live his best life with PD — Harvey finally received the news he’d been waiting for in October of last year.

“I walked out of the post office and checked my email and saw a message from one of the producers that began with the sentence, ‘I know this has been a long time coming,’ and I knew what was going to follow,” Harvey said of the day he had long been working toward.

Last week, Harvey appeared on the show, and not only won his first episode, but inspired millions with his messages of hope and determination.
Harvey Silikovitz cheers after winning his first episode on ‘Jeopardy!’
“When I was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I was really, really scared, and I later thought if there had been someone like me, it might have helped me adjust a little quicker,” Harvey said of his initial feelings after being diagnosed with PD.

Appearing on the show was about much more to Harvey than his lifelong love of learning or trivia — but rather hoping to serve as an inspiration to others living with chronic illnesses.

“You shouldn’t be discouraged from continuing to do the things that bring joy into your life, which is especially important when you’re living with a lousy, progressive neurodegenerative disease,” Harvey said.
Harvey Silikovitz, hiking on Santiago Island in the Galapagos Islands in August 2022.
An important lesson for all of us, Harvey emphasizes the importance of taking care of yourself and your body in order to put yourself in the best possible position to achieve your dreams when the opportunity arises. An experienced world traveler, Harvey encourages others to persevere and take advantage of every moment life grants them.

As he prepared to compete in “Jeopardy!” Harvey focused on the importance of exercise and a healthy diet to optimize cognitive performance and feeling his best.

A resident of New York City, Harvey takes pleasure in long walks, especially through Central Park and is proud of his fundraising efforts and participation in The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Unity Walk event which he will be partaking in again this year.

Harvey Silikovitz and friend, Michael, hold banner at the Parkinson’s Unity Walk in Central Park, New York City in April 2024.
“I knew I might have only one episode, and if I only had one chance, I hoped I would reach people with Parkinson’s and other chronic illnesses,” Harvey said. “One of the things I’ve learned is that there’s so many people that are living with something, and a lot of times it’s not externally visible, so people have no idea, and it can be just as debilitating.”

Despite any fears or apprehension about how PD might affect his game, at the end of the day, Harvey said, “I was just up there playing a game and also delivering my message.”

“And it was really heartening to me that nobody talked about my exaggerated head movements as a result of the dyskinesia. All people were saying was he played a really great game.”

Watch Harvey’s recent interview with David Muir on ABC’s World News Tonight below to learn more:

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