Pickleball pour une bonne cause

Un événement. Une inscription.

Deux causes importantes.

1) Can you tell us your name and a little about yourself? 

Hi, my name is Brett. I am 44 years old, and admittedly with hesitation have decided to share my story with you. I feel uneasy and uncomfortable to share with the public because I have become a very private person, but I am running out of time. I have been a tetraplegic since July 25, 2015, due to a motorcycle accident. I will share more about this day with you, well what I can remember anyway. What can I tell you about myself. Well, I can share who I was before the accident, I guess. I lived, breathed and found joy and purpose being an athlete. Taking care of my physical health and enjoying the process of learning a new sport, skill and technique was indescribable. The thrill of winning a competition felt like I had purpose. Like a million bucks! Ever since I can remember I was participating in some sport, competition, solo or in a team and this made me feel alive. I was a student of Jujitsu, held a purple belt and was on my way to a brown belt. At this time, I was also teaching and training in a mentor ship role. Developing sets and available as a sparring partner and I was also working as a personal trainer. Truly this was the high of my life. I was in shape working out six days a week and was doing heavy duty mechanics on the side. In our cold Canadian winters, you would find me on the slopes snowboarding and /or playing hockey. 

2) What else would we find you doing with your time if not in sports? 

I traveled a lot. I had an incredible passion and curiosity to learn about different cultures, the music, the dance and the food. I also travelled to Seychelles and worked in Mauritius for a year. I danced Sega (traditional dance) and Bachata. I’ve always wanted to learn how to dance Salsa a little better. 

When I wasn’t dancing, I was rolling (Jujitsu)on the mats, snowboarding the slopes or traveling the globe to see family. I was working as a heavy-duty mechanic and upgrading my Subaru and doing side jobs for family and friends. I loved working with my hands from woodworking, welding, crafts and building ornaments with clay and sewing. 

3) What about friends & family? Did you used to spend a lot of time together? 

I had an extensive social life although I consider myself an introvert. I had great connections and relationships. I was married. I had my biker friends whom I would go for long rides with. Attend Brazilian parties with my Jujitsu teammates and watch UFC and ensure to support each other in different cities when we were competing. I would enjoy going for long bicycle rides on the weekends, camping and engaging in any outdoors sports such as surfing, biking through the forests, swimming and more. My favorite thing in the world was taking care and playing with my animals. This was the most pleasurable and cooking was a close runner up! My life was exciting, adventurous, full of passion and a real-life Indiana Jones movie. But sometimes the boobie traps can catch up with you. 

4) Can you share what happened to you? 

It was a Saturday morning July 25th, 2015. 

I had my Jesus moment on this day. I died and came back. I had an argument with my wife at the time. We were leaving the house; we were not in good terms. I was on my motorcycle in the middle lane and my wife was driving in the right lane. There was a car that cut in front of me, and I was unable to stop in time and I hit the middle frame of the car. I woke up in the hospital and I remember asking about my motorcycle. I wasn’t aware of the extent of my injuries. I thought in a week or so I would be up walking out of the hospital, maybe a few broken bones, bruises, nothing I couldn’t handle. Even when I was being fed and helped in the hospital, I didn’t realize the extent of the damage to my body. I was moving my toes and had sensation in all of my body, but they told me I was paralyzed. The damage was significant and would be long term. 

A few months later, still in hospital my wife left me. She moved out of the marital home the weekend I was discharged from hospital. I want to say that the accident and my paralysis was the worst but at this moment, it was the absolute betrayal that I felt. I was broken, physically and mentally. And when I got home, so was my heart. 

My life, shattered. The life that I was in love with was extinguished, evaporated into thin air. The loss of autonomy, the loss of my marriage. This was and is the worst. 

For five years following my accident I fought and struggled with the SAAQ (Societe de d’Assurance automobile du Quebec) to acquire the compensation that I was owed from the accident. This was such a struggle as I had to pay out pocket to support home care including physiotherapy, caregiver services, home adaptations, the list goes on. It was so hard. So painful. 

I have always worked hard to support myself financially and to this day finances continue to be a struggle. 

5) What are some of the first thoughts that come to mind of the things that you can no longer do since the accident? 

I live with my loving animals and require care 12hrs + at least /7 days a week. My parents care for me and so do my caregivers. I require assistance with home care and daily life chores (i.e.- hygiene, eating, selfcare, etc.) I cannot do any of this on my own. 

I can’t drive due to spasms. It would be unsafe for myself and for others. I’m constantly worried about embarrassing moments when I’m out in public and/or the worry of having a spasm causing an accident and hurting myself or anyone else. Social settings can trigger my anxieties because I can’t react or protect myself in the way I could before. 

I can’t visit my family anywhere without assistance and even then, its complicated. I can no longer help my parents, family and friends and I was that person, you know the one people call to help them move or help fix their cars. 

6) So why now? Why have you started a gofundme campaign? 

We didn’t have the same technology as we do now specifically for patients with a SCI (spinal cord injury). These new advances are difficult to gain access to and it is all out of pocket. I don’t have money to pay for the latest treatment that could potentially help me regain mobility. I have some hope even if a sliver I’ll hold onto it. This stem cell treatment/s is my sliver of hope. I want to walk. I have the right to walk again. Maybe I’m a little wiser now and I am learning how to ask for help. Please, help me walk again. 

Thank you for taking the time to get to know my story. 

With so much gratitude,

Brett