Eric Storm AM was a very successful business man who was instrumental in helping to establish Hopewood Health Retreat.

Born on 4 March 1896 in Mosman, a coastal suburb on Sydney Harbour, Eric Storm attended Fort St Boys High School and then went on to study accountancy.

When he was 21, Eric started working with a well-known Australian shipping company as an accountant and in 1917 he was sent to Singapore where he soon transferred to another company as a commodity broker.

He became a very successful business man very quickly, a renowned investor, stockbroker and entrepreneur. But Eric was also living a fast and stressful life in the orient. Continual entertaining, poor food choices, drinking and smoking in excess was combined with insufficient sleep. He was burning the candle at both ends and didn’t realise what a toll it was taking on his health.

Aged just 34, and back in Sydney, Eric suffered a serious heart attack and was instructed to give up this lifestyle.

He became extremely interested in Natural Health – which he learned more about from a business associate, another very successful business man called L.O. Bailey. Mr Bailey became his mentor and in time Eric reversed his bad health by following a vegetarian diet, not smoking, never drinking alcohol or coffee, avoiding sugar and processed foods.

In 1960 Eric joined the Board of the Youth Welfare Association and then was instrumental in helping L.O Bailey and Madge Cockburn establish the Hopewood Health Centre at Wallacia.

Mr Storm became a passionate advocate for healthy living and a regular visitor to the Hopewood Health Retreat. He always attributed his longevity to healing his body by following a healthy lifestyle and natural way of eating.

He remained an active business man and philanthropist to the end of his life. He left a significant bequest to the Australian Youth and Health Foundation which funds Hopewood.

He celebrated his 100th birthday at Hopewood Health retreat and died just before his 103rd birthday in 2000.