I was told that I had been found by my parents whom I was living with, that I wasn’t breathing and had to be rushed to mercy west hospital in Cincinnati. I had a seizure during my nap that day and the way I was laying cut off my airway. I was then revived back to life but I had not been breathing for so long that I had to be induced into a coma to make me stable again. When I was awakened from the coma I had suffered such damage to my brain from not breathing that I was unable to function at all. I couldn’t move, talk, or even see. I had no memory of what had even taken place besides coming home from work. I was hooked up to every machine possible. A breathing tube, feeding tube the whole works. I could hear so I knew I was in bad shape. The doctors told me that they thought a blood clot may have been the cause of my seizure but they were not sure. All the symptoms I was displaying were that of a severe stroke.  I also sustained a traumatic brain injury.I eventually was able to breathe on my own and stable after about two weeks. I started to regain my sight but still struggled to see the way I once had. I was then transferred to the old drake hospital to begin my rehabilitation. There I was with a doctor who informed me of a long list of limitations and difficulties I I would more than likely have to deal with the rest of my life. I made a decision that I would never except that, so I got to work. I started working on sitting up in my bed. I then worked on getting myself into a wheelchair. I had progressed so nicely and was unable to continue to pay for the bills I was racking up that I was finally discharged on July 13th. Still on a feeding tube and in a wheelchair, unable to even get to the bathroom by myself. I was able to get help from drake hospital to receive outpatient care and treatment 3-4 days a week. So I began a year long journey filled with occupational therapy, learning how to walk again, eating on my own and regaining my sight with the help of. I overcame obstacles and had surpassed all of the limitations that the doctor's thought that I couldn’t. I was not done though. Due to the lack of mobility during this process I had lost a lot of muscle and was starting to gain weight. I have always been an active person and this was so foreign and frustrating to me. This is what led me to joining a gym. I first started using a stationary bike to help lose weight and strengthen my legs. I got myself some free weights to strengthen my upper body. Once I got strong enough I started to look for the right gym to join. I thought to myself that I wanted a gym that would push me and not treat me any different from anyone else. That brought me to Gymbo’s personal training. I had never been in a gym in my life. Saying I was intimidated is an understatement. But after meeting Jim Collins and the people who he was working with I instantly felt that I had found the best person for the job. Boy was I right. I started just a couple days a week and began to feel stronger and see results right away. I worked hard and got through any doubts I held myself. Which brought me here, competing. I have not had another seizure since, I still have a traumatic brain injury and have bad days. I may never recover fully from this injury but I will never let it stop me from trying. It gave me a whole new perspective, changed my way of thinking about everything. Had I listened to the limitations I never would have gotten to where I am today. Never let yourself become a victim to your situation and never give up on yourself.