42 Years of Life - What it taught me.

Today, July 22, 2022, marks 42 years I have had the absolute pleasure of being alive. Out of these 42 years I think back on my life and the WHY I was placed here on this big rock we call earth. The simple answer and the most obvious is to Serve. Believe it or not I started serving in public safety at the age of 12. I remember the very first call I went to was a House Fire in my hometown down hwy 21 after a thunderstorm and my second call was toa. brush fire out highway 185 by my granddad's farm.

At 16, I was in the back of an ambulance doing CPR on a guy I didn't know and by 17 I was dispatching the ambulance and fire department in my hometown. It is without a doubt, I have been serving in Public Safety for 30 years as of Today, this 22nd of July, 2022. Man the stories I have to tell. It goes without saying that there have been many challenges along the way. One of the great things of being in public service is the ability to serve and give back and to work with like minded people. To see a life come back from death, to give that patient another day with their loved one, to give that family another day with their loved one. Unless you have done this work, you will never know the sincere and amazing feeling of how saving a life and seeing it flourish after the incident gives you a sense of WHY I am here on this rock.

Over the last 30 years I have been to hundreds of fires, I have transported over 1400 patients via helicopter, thousands more by ground. I have delivered 2 babies, have had 11 cardiac arrest saves in the field, and one patient I will never ever forget, Brianna, mothers day 2010, ATV accident herniation during flight, I am so proud of her who today is a Veterinarian. You my friend, was the most challenging patient in 30 years of service I will never forget you. I will never forget the year after your incident when you hugged me and said thank you. When I saw your mom in the elevator and she started crying and just hugged me. I will never forget the day you walked to graduate and that big smile and thumbs up I got from you. You my friend, is the exact reason I did what I did. You are my true WHY.

I started an international online CE program that became the 3rd largest in the United States, I had the amazing opportunity to serve as the Director of a university healthsystem flight program where the work I did with my team successfully transported over 12,000 patients in just 3 years. That means for each patient, 10 lives were touched. 10 lives will have the ability to enjoy another day with the loved one we took care of. 120,000 people were impacted by the work me and my teams did in just three years. Today may be a day to recognize me on my birthday but this is a day I stop and reflect on the lives that touched me and gave me my true WHY i serve each and every day.

I can remember someone once asking me, "What has been the most valuable lesson I have learned over my career?" The more I thought about that question, it became apparent to me it was one that was really hard to answer. There have been so many things I have learned, good and bad. I, as with many people in public safety, have seen things that would make you think twice about the direction you go in life.

"What has been the most valuable lesson I have learned over my my life?"

Life is a continuous learning experience. Throughout our lives we keep rising and falling, picking up important lessons along the way. Some of these lessons come from experience, yet there are others that we learn watching others or reading in books for example.

No matter how much we learn from the books there is a significant difference between practical and theoretical experience. Furthermore, there are many life lessons that we simply cannot learn until we face certain situations in our life.

Most people would say that there are some lessons that come too late, catching us off-guard and unprepared.

Here are five of the most important life lessons I have picked up over the last 42 years of my life.

1. Walk your own path --- Trust me... everyone has an opinion. But always remember, don't ever let someone else's goals and dreams influence your life. This is your path and you decide where it take you and see it through.

2. Don't hesitate when you should act. -- There is this old Roman proverb "Carpe Diem" meaning - "Seize the Day". I like to say grab life by the balls and go. We learn so much in school but there is no better learning experience than actual life lessons. Take the knowledge you learned and apply it to life. those two things combined will get you where you go to go. Don't Hesitate!

3. Good things don't come easy - If you want to have a good life, successful career, emotional satisfaction, and trustworthy friends you have to work hard. Get your ass off the couch and quit bitching. You won't get any pity party from me... Get up and move or shut up. luck can take you only so far and the rest is entirely up to you. We are all in a fight to find our footing. Don't think that your friends or even your family is going to fight your battles. Grow the heck up and go fight the good fight. It is worth it I promise you.

4. Never ever give up when you fail. -- Even when were feeling most prepared and you go out in the world, you are going to fail. Now you have two choices. Wine and cry about it and look stupid, or get your ass up wipe off the dust, and tell life she hits like a bitch. Hold your head high and keep moving. Its ok to fail and for people who tell you they havent, you don't want to be around those kind. they are Liars. Eveyrone fails. its part of growing. The difference is if you fall and get back up and keep going, or did you fall on the ground and want a pity party. I challenge you to get back up and run towards taht dream. I promise you it pays off in the end.

5. Make every moment count - 42 years have flown by. I won't lie if it made me tear up a little this am. I have regret from times in my life I didn't make the moment count. These moments are with family, friends and co-workers and yourself. Don't live your life full of hate and disappointment. If you see someone struggling help them.. Don't force your ideas onto others but provide guidance.

The Most Important Life Lesson I have Learned.

Think before you act. There are always consequences to our actions. This is the hardest lesson for me and I still haven't perfected it. Just because my mouth wants to diarrhea on someone doesn't mean they are mentally or spiritually ready to hear the entire truth. When those words come out of your mouth, you can't take them back. The words you say today, could cause harm even though your intent was not that. Treat each word with caution and respect the person you are speaking to.

The most important power lies in a grateful heart. Practice turning your thoughts towards appreciation and thanks. Because when you die, you want the people to cry while you rejoice on your life. This is when you know you have fill your life with love, strength and power.

Happy 42nd birthday to me. I am hopeful for another 42. But if today or tomorrow or three years from now is my time.. I can lie my head down peacefully knowing I did what i was put on this earth to do. I touched many lives and I saved many. I lead my people as a servant leader and I gave opportunity to people who never had a chance before.