“Strength shows not only in the ability to persist, but in the ability to start over”
A child grows up with endless dreams in mind. When you are young, you perceive the world as a space filled with infinite possibilities. You truly believe that you can be anything and do anything you want to. So, when does this assertive confidence become limited? Life raises barriers in your way, and it’s your choice to cross over them or use them as an excuse to stand still.
Alex Deslauriers was a kid with a passion for a life in fitness. His youthful ambition made it easy for him to pursue that passion, until one fateful day. Alex fell asleep while driving and got into a devastating accident that threatened his life and all of his dreams. Did it stop him from believing he can achieve what he sets his mind to?
Alex recounts what happened:
“I arrived at the hospital at around 5 or 6 am on the 22nd of July, 2016. The doctors gave me a 72 hour window for me to either survive or die because at this point, my brain was unresponsive.
Fortunately the next day, they started to see some hopeful brain activity. Within 3 days after that, I was sent to surgery to get my neck fixed because it now lacked the cartilages it needed to hold my head right. They had to fuse the C1, C2, and C3 vertebrae together with two rods and a plate of metal at the base of my skull. This surgery lasted 8 – 10 hours. To this day, I suffer from a constant pain in my neck and restricted head movement which I have learned to live with gracefully. After it was over, I was brought back to the intensive care unit where I stayed for another 3 weeks. My family and friends were only allowed to visit me 15 minutes at a time every hour. During the week that followed my surgery, the doctors began to understand the true extent of my injuries. I had suffered from 3 broken ribs, a punctured lung, and my right lung was filled with blood. These injuries made it very difficult to breathe since I was basically drowning my lungs with my own blood. In addition, I suffered from a broken left clavicle and left humerus, a severe concussion causing temporary paralysis on the right side of my body, internal bleeding in certain areas of my brain, and temporary loss of sight in my left eye. Because of the trauma my lungs had sustained, I had to be intubated 3 times which caused pneumonia and further damage to my vocal cords.
THE ONLY EASY DAY WAS YESTERDAY
Coach Alex
I stayed in a coma for 3 weeks, and when I woke up, my journey back had begun. I had to go to rehab where I needed to learn all over again the basic practical knowledge of how to take care of myself such as walking, talking, moving, eating, washing myself, and much more of what made me feel like I was a kid starting in life from scratch. With the right mindset and support around me, I was able to regain control over my body and will myself to stop at nothing before I reach the goals I have set.
The road to recovery was not an easy one at all. My wounds left me feeling like a broken man, and I can honestly say that it took me over 4 years to grasp my new reality. Now, I love who I am and every broken part of me because it serves as proof to myself and to every person who doubted my ability to recover.”
Today, Alex has overcome his adversity as he progresses everyday towards an astounding comeback. Every step he takes demonstrates his power over his pain. He had the strength to push himself through, and now he uses this strength to push others to be the best that they can be too.
We are proud to be a part of this coach’s story, as he inspires our community to move forward everyday!
