Wayne Chapman, 75,  knows there's a great demand for information about his ailing brother, Hervey, owner of the Verdugo Pet Shop on York Boulevard.

In fact, Wayne's received so many calls about his quiet, shy, trustworthy and now leukemia stricken 73-year-old brother that he's  been recording voicemail greetings to update concerned friends, family members and patrons about his status.

On Monday afternoon, Wayne's voicemail message informs callers that his brother has completed his first round of chemotherapy and is getting to know his nurses.

"That's just the way it is with Hervey," Wayne explains. "He connects with people in a unique way, heart to heart. There's no malice, no fluff, no guile. People love him for that."

Hervey was diagnosed with leukemia after a coughing fit landed him in Sherman Oaks Hospital shortly after Christmas.

Since then, Hervey has been moved to UCLA Medical Center, where he is undergoing chemotherapy.

"He's going through the fight of his life right now. There's no doubt about that," Wayne said.

But it's a fight that Hervey seems well equipped to endure.

"He's in incredible shape," Wayne said. "The doctor's were ready to give up on Hervey until I told him what kind of guy he was."

According to Wayne, Hervey has competed in more 20 marathons, 143 half-marathons and, prior to getting sick, had registered to run in the 2011 Los Angeles Marathon in March.

Hervey's office in the pet shop is wall-papered with his bibs from the numerous races he's run, Wayne said.

He added that Hervey never needed to train for his races, as his regiment of lifting 50 pound bags of chicken feed at the pet shop kept him in great shape.

"He never practices," said longtime friend Susan Levine. "He just goes out and does it."

Levine said she met Hervey more than 30 years ago, when the Verdugo Pet Shop was actually located on Verdugo Road in Eagle Rock.

She said she admired the quiet pet shop owner from afar for years, until one day, he unexpectedly invited her to go out dancing.

"We went dancing together every week," Levine said.

Wayne said his brother loves all types of dancing, but is particularly adept at clogging.

"He has a major clogging platform in his living room," he said. "He's so free, fluid and graceful. It's extraordinary to watch him."

Hervey's long list of hobbies also included biking, hiking and working on his collection of classic cars, which includes a Chevrolet SSR and a Model T.

But Hervey's greatest love, friends say, is animals.

"Animals always liked Hervey," Wayne said. "He had a connection with animals, they understood he was honest and loving."

Levine said she can't quite put her finger on why Hervey always loved animals so much, but she posited that it might have something to do with his sensitive and almost naive nature.

"I don't know where this love of animals come from. I think he's so shy that he can bond with them," she said. "They don't lie. They don't write bad checks."

Hervey was also dedicated to his customers and the neighborhood of Highland Park, Levine said.

Though a lifelong resident of Sherman Oaks, Hervey felt a strong bond with the residents of Highland Park, and refused to leave the neighborhood, despite Levine's insistence that he leave the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and join her in Templeton, CA.

"He could never do it," Levine said. "He just loved the neighborhood and those people too much."

Wayne and Levine said they were realistic when it come to Hervey's odds of making a full recovery, but both agreed that the man had so far lived an extraordinary and unusual life.

"It's like he's from another planet," Wayne said. "He doesn't know this, but he's my hero."