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I have been fortunate to have a good design career where I've worked for some really good
design studios. I used to be able to sketch draw out my ideas and that type of stuff but
then I really could not do that anymore. I have an autoimmune disease that attacks my
nervous system. It was in the winter of 2010 and up until that point everything was staying
to my waist and below. So, I had no weakness in my arms, hands or anything like that.
I can tell something is going to happen when I get a twitching and craps in whatever muscles
are deciding to go next. I started getting twitching in my upper right shoulder. By the
end of that month I had significant loss in both my arms.
Justin and I were friends from the get-go even as kids he could find the silver lining
to any cloud. Just always positive, always happy and always driven just to enjoy life.
I remember when he told me on the phone that he started to notice a lot of weakness in
his hands. I thought okay his hands were his life blood. This is his career. I wasn't prepared
for the first time that I saw him after his hands had really started to decline when he
asked me to help feed him. Having to hold the glass with two hands. Needing a straw
because he could not navigate holding the cup. Then now his wife, his kids or I have
to hold a cup for him. It was heavy. It was heart to see that change. I thought over and
over ... why not me? In a second, I would trade places. I would do it in a second.
I could see that dark deep hole that you could go down and I was on the edge of that. But
then life is too short to sit around and complain. Life is too short to go down that deep dark
hole.
Hey buddy.
Hey.
How are you doing man?
How is it going?
Good.
It's been a long time. Good to see you.
You too man.
Well I wasn't really looking for the Camino. It kind of found me. I was watching PBS and
on came Rick Steves. He was doing a thing on Spain. He was talking about the Camino
and I was like what is that? I'd never heard of it and never heard of it at all. Later
I turned to my wife and said "that would be something that is crazy to do." I wonder if
I could do that in my wheelchair?
My immediate thought was like Pat and I should do this together.
We were sitting in his living room and he asked me "Do you want to go across 500 miles
in northern Spain with me?" and I said "Yes I'll push you."
We are going over mountains. Were going through hills and valleys. We're going through the
countryside. Like miles and miles a day.
He has turned it into fuel to do more. To dream big. That is a world changing message.
If we can help encourage others in the process then that would be pretty amazing.