
The cover of Dr. Olson’s book, “Gone: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back My Life.”
In October 2020, Linda K. Olson ’76-A published her first book, “Gone: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back My Life.” At the age of 29, Dr. Olson was vacationing with her husband, David W. Hodgens ’76-A, and friends in Germany when their van was hit by a train. She woke up in a hospital bed a triple amputee. Her memoir covers the inspiring story of her and her husband’s perseverance through such a tragic event and how they created meaningful lives and careers together.
Dr. Olson is a mother, author, motivational speaker, and professor emeritus of radiology at University of California, San Diego. After her own Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2015, she has become an advocate committed to empowering Parkinson’s patients and families to live life as fully as possible.