Tragedy
Duval's oldest son, Brent, developed aplastic anemia. The family sought treatment at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, where younger brother David, who was 9, underwent surgery to donate bone marrow. Unfortunately, the transplant was not successful, and Brent died as a result of blood poisoning on May 17, 1981 at age 12.
Both Bob and Diane used alcohol to numb the emotional pain and their relationship deteriorated. Duval was unable to cope, and moved out of the family home for a year. Counseling enabled him to reunite with his wife and children, and in 1987, he accepted an offer to be golf pro at the Plantation, a new gated, golf community in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Duval's father, "Hap" died in 1991, and Bob was unhappy in his marriage, so in 1993, he left his family permanently and the divorce was final in 1996. When Bob began seeing Sharon Blum, David stood by his mother, who was deeply depressed. He blamed his father and their relationship diminished. After some time had passed, they begain talking again, and David realized that his father was happy.
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