The Night I Met My Guardian Angel

Last night my lady & I watched the movie “Heaven Is For Real” and aside from it being an amazing movie with a great story it brought back some memories for me from my accident in 1994 in Ottawa. In 1994 I was walking outside Bayshore Shopping Centre in Ottawa, Ontario and noticed three guys approaching me yelling threats at me from the other side of the parking lot.

The next them I knew three of them were chasing me up the side walk and suddenly they had me cornered. They came at me and I remember trying to defend myself & a big blur. The next thing they were gone and I put my hand down on the side of my leg. When I looked at my hand it was completely covered in blood as were my jeans.

I had been stabbed twice in the leg, nine times on my back & once on the side of my chest puncturing a lung. One of the knife wounds missed my heart by half of an inch.

I don’t remember much about that night but I do remember being in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and there was a guy driving, a guy working away on me and a lady that was holding my hand in the ambulance that said nothing. She just held my hand, stroking it and smiling at me.

I apparently also came very close to not making it that day and I remember feeling very comfortable despite all the pain that I was in. One thing I have never told anyone not even my parents was I remember seeing a slide show playing of every birthday I had up to that point. Three seconds of each birthday with me blowing out the candles being surround by family right up until the age of 17 which I was at the time of this incident.

I then remember seeing my two grandfathers looking at me & smiling. They both then shook their heads and I woke up in the operating room recovery.

I remember asking the nurses if the three EMS were still in the hospital so that I could say thank you but I was told there were only two people in there with me. The male EMS driver & the attendant who was keeping my vitals stable there was no lady.

Being raised by two parents who were Salvation Army officers and going to church pretty much every Sunday until I turned sixteen I have always been a very faithful person. Even though I no longer go to church every Sunday I still hold on to the beliefs I was raised with and believe that night in 1994 I had a guardian angel in the ambulance with me and there was a reason I was kept alive.

For the next 13 years I would always randomly bring Tim Hortons coffee to Firehalls and would always buy a coffee for first responders when I’d see one behind me in any line ups. Then in 2007 I had heard that they opened a Tim Hortons in Afghanistan & my “Thank A Soldier – Coffee for Our Troops” mission started.

Was this the reason I was kept alive that night in 1994? Maybe however always in the back of my mind since then I wondered if that was the reason and thinking maybe they had to be more.

This past Canada Day the reason I was kept alive became very clear to me. With the birth of my first child Chloe I have been given the greatest gift I have ever received. This to me is the reason my life was spared that night and for that I’ll be forever thankful.

You never know who's life you're going to save

I'm 38 years old and I have never donated blood.  At my work once a month they have a blood donation clinic set up and I always walked by it and carried on my way however something happened to me on Canada Day that changed the way I think.

In 1994 I was attacked by three guys in Ottawa and stabbed thirteen times. So anything related to hospitals including needles had freaked me out ever since so I avoided donating blood and used this an excuse.

On July 31st my lady went into the hospital to be educed and without going in to too much information she ran in to some problems about 13 hours in to labour and required a blood transfusion after the baby came out.

Here I am the happiest moment in my life with this little angel in front of me and not knowing if the woman in my life behind me on the hospital bed is going to survive to enjoy it with me was the scariest thing I've ever gone through.

She has an apparently rare blood type "Type AB Negative" and for all I know I could even be this blood time I've never checked. If the person who was that blood type had "Just walked by" a blood clinic she wouldn't even be here today.

I would be a single father and not going though the amazing things together we have gone through in the last nine days.

I'm very happy to report that I have an appointment to go to the Canadian Blood Services to donate blood and I'll never walk the setup at work without taking the time to donate blood.

I want to say THANK YOU to the person in Calgary that is blod TYPE AB Negative as you saved a life for sure.

Visit blood.ca for more info 

My Anytime Fitness YYC 90 Day Challenge post

In 1994 I was involved in a stabbing by three guys and had 11 wounds on my body. Two of which were very sever on my upper left leg and as a result of this happening to me I was unable to move for almost three months. I put on a lot of weight most of which I've never been able to lose until now. My muscle in my left leg was severed and suffered severe nerve damage in my thigh as well. For many years I used it as an excuse to be lazy and couldn't even walk 1km without having severe cramps or having pain from it.

A few years ago I met a Canadian soldier who had lost both his legs in Afghanistan after stepping on a IED and this man never quit. He started his rehab and I first heard of him when I saw that he was RUNNING a 10km run on prosthetic legs. I had no more excuses.

After trying several challenges and failing in the past I finally had enough.

Last Sept I set out on a person mission to try and get healthy and I promised myself to donate 1lb of food to the Calgary food bank for every lb I lose in 365 days. I had been doing great and losing weight and then I heard about the 90 day challenge from Anytime fitness.

This lit a fire under me because I had also found out that my lovely lady and I were going to be having our first child. As If I needed any extra motivation this news made me push very hard during the 90 days.

In total I have lost 85lbs now (40 since the 90 day challenge started)I go to the gym five times a week now religiously and really starting to see results. The staff at anytime fitness are very friendly and supportive and have helped me a lot stay on track.

The money from this challenge would help me and my soon to be wife out so much with this new child coming along. I would also use it to buy 100lbs of food as I KNOW I am going to hit the 100lb mark by August 31st.

Calgary Transit - High Five Guy

Yesterday was just a normal Friday in Calgary and on the way home from work on the C-Train I saw something happen that was awesome & we need lots more of in this country.  Something that made people smile, laugh & actually look up from their smart phones for ten seconds.

It started at Marlborough Station when a guy got on the train and announced the following

“Ladies & Gentleman on this train could I have your attention please” ......... 

People started thumbing through their pockets & purses thinking it was a Calgary Transit officer looking for transfers & proof of payment.

This was followed up by “

First of all let me tell you that I am not sick, you will not catch anything from me  but I am however going to high five every person on this train that will let me.  You do not have to high five me back but I will try & if you choose not to I hope you have an awesome weekend anyway and try to smile”

For the thirty seconds it took for people to hear this announcement no one was looking at their phones, people were smiling & laughing about it with each other.

The guy came by me I gave him a high five and told him what he was doing was so simple but awesome.

He said “Just trying to make people smile & I have two more cars to do so I have to go”

It’s little things like this that make our city so awesome. 

High Five.................

You have to cheer the only Canadian NHL team.........

As a Leafs fan for thirty eight long years I grew up disliking The Montreal Canadiens and enjoy the rivalries I have formed with friends & family who cheer them on. When Montreal was the only Canadian team to make the playoffs this year just about everyone I talked to said "I"m cheering for Montreal as they're the only Canadian team in the playoffs"

Some might say I'm just "A Disgruntled Leafs Fan" but that's not the case at all. I will cheer on any other team aside from Montreal, Vancouver or Ottawa. (The Oilers, Flames & Jets are alright in my books)

The thing I heard the most is "Don't you want the Stanley Cup back in Canada"

Out of the four teams left in the NHL Playoffs The Los Angeles Kings have the most "Canadian" players so if they were to win the cup The Stanley Cup would have the most visits back to Canada with the players when they get their day with the cup.

Canadians on four remaining teams :
Los Angeles 15
New York Rangers 13
Montreal Canadiens 13
Chicago Blackhawks 9

Someone told me it was "Un-Canadian" & "Un-Patriotic" NOT to cheer for the Habs, well this is the biggest pile of crap I've ever heard in my life. I wear my Team Canada jersey & cheer for Team Canada at the Olympics, World Championships & World Juniors. Part of me even felt a little guilty for cheering Carey Price at the Olympics but as soon as the gold medal was handed out it was back to cheering against him.

"It's Canada Vs USA" No........ No it's not it's the NHL

Do you REALLY think that if it was the Toronto Maple Leafs Vs The New York Rangers Habs fans would be cheering the Leafs? Montreal would root for Toronto like I’d root for a global outbreak of the bird flu.

When Vancouver was in the finals a few years ago Vs. Boston I'm sure everyone in Montreal was cheering them on....... Not likely. They want to be the first team to "Bring the cup back to Canada" and were probalby cheering against the Canucks like the rest of Canada outside of B.C.

Would Boston Red Sox fans cheer on the Yankees if they were playing the Blue Jays in the semi finals? Would all of the USA cheer on the Miami Heat if they were playing the Raptors in the finals? I doubt it.

Who are you cheering for in the Eastern Finals?
	Montreal Canadiens
	New York Rangers
pollcode.com free polls

Losing Weight To Help Homeless & at risk Veterans

In September 2013 I started a weight-loss challenge and as I have tried and failed many times I wanted to come up with a way to stay motivated and not fail again.  "Lose For Food" was born.  I decided I was going to help out two charities with my mission "The Calgary Food Bank" & "V.E.T.S Canada"

I pledged that I would donate $1.00 for every pound I lost in the next 365 days as well as one pound of food for every pound that I lose to the Calgary Food Bank.

Here we are almost nine months later and I have lost 70lbs so far.

Yesterday while checking my email I noticed an email from Anytime Fitness which is the gym where I currently work out.  The email stated they were starting a contest called "Get 10,000 & Give 10,000"

They're giving away $10,000 to the most inspiring story and that person receives $10,000 to pay it forward to someone.

I instantly thought of the folks at V.E.T.S Canada to receive the $10k as I have worked very closely with them over the past few years and have seen first hand the great work they do with Veterans who need assistance.

What would I do with the $10,000 I receive if I win this?  The first thing I will do is buy my lbs in weight-loss in food and donate it to the Calgary Food Bank and top that donation up to $500 along side of it.

I also found out back in November that me and my lady are going to be having our first child in the first few weeks of July.  This money would help us out a lot with things we're going to need for the little one.

A lot of people have asked how I'm losing the weight well the answer is simple, I'm working my a$$ off.  I go to the gym five times a week now and do cardio every day and some circuit training every 2nd day.  I have cut out junk food, pop and take out food and replaced with healthy meals & drink a lot of water.

The original pledge I made to the Calgary Food Bank & VETS Canada helps me stay motivated.  On days when I don't feel like going to the gym I think about the people I'm going to be able to help if I keep working hard and that usually lights a fire under me.

The "Give 10k Get 10k" contest is for all of North America so it's going to take a lot to help us take this one home and be able to donate $10,000 to V.E.T.S Canada as well.

Please consider going to the link below and sending a vote my way & sharing the link to this page on your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ ect.

If you have never heard of our "Thank A Soldier" page and efforts feel free to check out "The History of Thank A Soldier" 

Thank You
Dave M. - Calgary, AB

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR MY STORY 

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Updated Photo : June 13th, 2014 - Total Weightloss now at 81lbs

It's OK to put down your smart phone

Smartphones, for most of us, are always within reach, and in most cases they have become an extra appendage. Remember the last time you forgot your phone at home and the ensuing panic that followed until you were reunited with it.
There's even a term for cell phone addiction called "nomophobia," meaning "no mobile phone phobia." For thousands of years, we have operated by having intimate conversations with each other were we laughed, told stories, and connected face to face.

A few weeks ago I was at the Calgary Flames Vs Ottawa Senators game and sitting next to a man who was sitting next to his 4 yr old son. His son was attending his first ever live NHL game and you could tell he was excited. He was asking his dad questions about every play and what was going on.

His dad had his face buried in his smart phone and ignored the boy completely for at least 3 or 4 minutes. The boy stopped talking waiting for a response and the man never said a word. The little boy stared at him and then went right to his soda. Here's this boy as his first NHL game ever a memory he will never forget and here's his father texting away and tweeting photos of how awesome his seats are little does he know the effect he's having on his child.

As someone that attends a lot of concerts & live sporting events this is something I’ve seen more and more. We have forgotten how to enjoy the moment and instead want to post on Facebook & Twitter about how great a time we’re having, yet everyone seems to be glued to their phones.

I feel we have lost the ability to “Enjoy The Moment” and instead need to post the moment on our social media pages. I remember going to my first ever concert when I was in Grade nine Alice Cooper & Motorohead. I couldn't wait for the next day of school to talk about it with my friends about how awesome it was but that doesn't exist anymore.

I used to go out to the pub with friends a few times a week and always had my phone on the table, but then I made a decision to keep my phone in my pocket all night and talk to people. The first night I did this I felt like I was at the bar by myself. The eight people I was with were all glued to their phones tweeting & facebooking their night away. 

I was at a Tim Hortons recently and saw five teenagers sitting in the corner glued to their cell phones and not talking to each other for about thirty minutes straight. They got up to leave, and I saw one of them zombified to his cell phone leave his bag.

I called out to him and said “Hey man you forgot your bag” without even looking from his phone he grabbed his bag I got a "Thanks man!" and he ran after his friends to catch up.

The next time you are on a flight anywhere watch what happens as soon as the plane lands, people are fidgeting, panicking as if that phone in their pocket is a drink of water in the Sahara desert and God forbid their phone has been off for over and hour and someone may have tweeted them, texted or tagged them in a face book photo.

Just remember folks as Juan Pablo would say “Eeetz Ok”

It’s Ok to put down your phone for awhile and enjoy the moment. Maybe call a friend and ask them “What’s New” without checking their facebook page or Twitter timeline to see what they've updated.

Here’s some ideas for how to put your phone away:

Phone stacking – When you go out to the pub with friends friends, institute a rule that you will all pile up your phones on the table, and the first person to grab his or her phone buys everyone at the table a round of drinks.

Focus on being present – Try to engage in the moment, and with the people around you. Use “self-talk” to remind yourself, “I am talking to this person right now”. Staying active can also be helpful. Take time to go on walks, exercise, meditate, and breathe. All of these activities can help people to stay in the present moment.

Take a “Technology Holiday” – Take a day, a weekend or even a week off from your phone and email. Time away from screens can help you reset. You don’t need to be sitting on a lounge chair by the palm trees to put up an away message.

Get a watch – Sometimes we use our phone or computer to tell time. When we do this we may get sucked we may get sucked into another application or email. Having a regular timepiece may spare us those extra temptations.


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