in 1983, a medical error during a myelogram procedure left him paralysed from the neck down and threatened to finish his career. astonishingly, after years of intensive physical therapy, he was able to walk again and relearnt how to play the guitar. in 1986 he presented the series "cooking with wine" for american television (the accompanying book became a best-seller) and in 1987 another guitar tuition series, "string along".