Almost losing my life on 7/7/07 changed me forever... (Here's the summary of my story)

Wow... Today marks 15 years since the car accident that changed my life... Feels like it was just a couple years ago.. I thought I would share this summary of my story, incase it help someone else that's going through a difficult time.. (I know this doesn't cover my entire background story, as that would be a much longer read.. though i may share over a podcast episode at some point)..

When I was younger, sports consumed my focus.. It was the first chance I had to push myself, improve my performance, be "noticed" for being really good at something, work together with a team, motivate others on a team who weren't as passionate, and work together toward a common goal of "winning the game", and receive awards for making it happen... I played baseball, football, and Ice hockey, though football was my favorite and I thought It would be my future. I was the fastest on my team, I was smaller but would play any defensive position and not be afraid to take on the biggest hit, as what was in my mind and heart told me I could take down anyone. (and that mindset works by the way..) I played quarterback, running back, receiver, and defensive end / safety.. Received Team Leader and MVP awards because of my dedication, motivation and encouragement to the team, talent, speed, and being willing to put in extra work.. I was set, this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life...

I was in high school heading toward my final years of the "high school football" dream, when it came to a quick stop.. I was 16 years old heading home when I ended up in a head-on collision.. The date of this car accident was 7/7/07.. You can probably see in the picture above, it didn't end well.. I was trapped in my car for hours, crews of firemen spent time taking my car apart, tearing out seats, un-wrapping the car off of me, and ended up pulling me through the back of the vehicle.. I was air lifted to the hospital where I spent several weeks having 13+ surgeries, (many of those weeks I don't even remember..) then very slowly getting back to the point of being able to sit up, eat, learning how to get out of the bed into a wheelchair, and finally heading home where I would spend months recovering... a very slow and very painful process. My parents lives transformed as they had to sleep in the hospital, switch off shifts between home and hospital, continue working, take care of the other kids in the house, and wonder what was going to happen over the first couple weeks, months.. It was a long and difficult journey for everyone. I'm thankful to still be here are share the story with others that may be going through a difficult time, in hopes to encourage, and share that sometimes the tunnel is long and dark, but there can be light other the other side..

This was one of those times in life that you ask yourself, "why did this have to happen to me"? or "did I do something to deserve this?".. "What am I going to do with my life now that everything has changed", "I lost the ability to do what I loved"... I believe everything happens for a reason. I believe that each situation in life is designed for a purpose, and we may not know why for 2, 5, 15 years or maybe even never really understand the reason we go through something difficult.. (I don't push my beliefs on others, but I personally believe there is a higher power that is in control, and that we all have a unique design and purpose on this earth, and sometimes we question why something is happening, and later we see how it played into a bigger picture for our lives..)

I thought I would spend my life playing sports (which at the time I loved more than anything else, ALL my passion was into sports), but this accident, this life changing situation, is what put an immediate stop to my ability to play any sports, and within a couple years of this accident, I was working in Land Surveying....(I didn't see that coming) Which is what ended up leading to 3d technology, laser scanning, passion for career, starting my own business, building a national and global network, hiring employees, expanding the business, starting a podcast, hosting a conference, and having a major passion for what I'm doing.... I don't think I would be working in this industry, with this community and vision... If it weren't for going through this car accident 15 years ago.. For that, I am thankful.. I wouldn't go back and change a single moment.. The number 7 will always mean a lot to me... 7/7/07 was the "luckiest day in the world"..

Another major takeaway I have from going through my car accident?... Live life fully at every moment. Enjoy every day. Give yourself fully to everything you do... Your family, your work, your hobby... YES still plan for the future and the years ahead, but don't ONLY plan for the future, as you don't know what tomorrow holds. Be intentional with WHY you're doing what you're doing, and what your goals are in life.. Have Fun.. Work Hard.. Enjoy yourself.. Build relationships.. Do something you love.. Be Passionate..

I'm blessed and thankful to have an amazing family (my parents and siblings), my own household (wife and 4 kids).. I'm blessed to have a greater purpose than just living without cause.. My goal with business and any level of success I reach through my career is focused on being able to turnaround and give to my family.. my friends.. my community.. and others in need.. and then help others learn how to do the same.. THAT is what fuels the passion behind everything I do, and why I will NEVER get burnt out on work.. My WHY is too big to ever question how much work it will take on, dreams I will reach for, how many hours I put in, if I enjoy every aspect or not... I will always be thankful and FULL of gratitude that I have the opportunity to work, innovate, dream, build, and help others do the same..

I hope by sharing this story about my life, a difficult situation, and how it turned into one of the greatest life changing moments of my life (even though it didn't seem like it at the time)... I hope it affects at least ONE person that may be experiencing something similar (even if it's a completely different situation... (loss of a family member, loss of a job, decline in health, financial struggle..) I think anything we go through in life, can be a time to learn, accept a lesson, and use in a positive way moving forward. It doesn't mean it's easy, but something good can come out of the darker and more difficult times in your life.. Take a step back.. Breath.. Think about what you're doing, and why you're doing it.. Be proactive and design the life you want to life, and be passionate about it..

With Love,

-Matthew Byrd

www.RealityCaptureNetwork.com / www.Nexus3d.com / www.RCNcomputers.com

PS. I would love to meet you in person, thank you for the continued support you've given me over the years, allowing me to build on a dream.. If you can make it out to our conference in October, let me know so I can thank you personally.. Here's the link to our conference information, and feel free to DM me anytime!

RCN CONFERENCE 2022