This man had a heart attack, and his will power to overcome is remarkable

I believe in media as a platform to inspire a better world. Since appearing on the Fox television show Utopia, I’ve receive many invitations to participate in various events. I chose to participate in Reality Rally and raise funds for a cause, but I never imagined all the ways in which it would inspire me. Some of it was quite shocking to me so of course I had to share it with you.

Firstly, thank you so much to everyone who donated to the Reality Rally fund, allowing me to reach the $1000 goal!

To give you some back-story, Gillian Larson started Reality Rally after appearing as the oldest woman on Survivor. Her spirit is incredible! She decided to use the fame she gained from reality TV to create good in the world. Reality Rally is a fundraising weekend filled with a casino night, Amazing-Race type of event, and autograph signings where reality stars and their supporters come together to raise money for Michelle’s Place, a holistic breast cancer center in Temecula, CA.

Michelle was a twenty something year old who died of breast cancer, and her one wish was to create a holistic, supportive center for women living with breast cancer. Because of fundraisers and donations from people like us, Michelle's Place provides support and free services—supportive, diagnostic and treatment focused—to those with breast cancer, who have survived it, and even those with breast masses.

For the race portion of Reality Rally, reality stars are placed with a team of supporters they have never met before. I was placed with Team Overcome, a superhero team, consisting of Layne, a pastor, and his son and daughter-in-law. When I heard about my team’s story I was a bit shocked and inspired.

My three teammates participated in Reality Rally last year, but they did finish. After running all over Old Temecula Town while competing in the race and after riding a bull for the first time, Layne collapsed. He had had a heart attack.

Luckily he went down at the right place at the right time. Two retired EMT workers and a doctor from Amazing Race were nearby when it happened and they immediately began CPR. Layne’s heart needed to be shocked, and fortunately he regained consciousness. The next thing he remembers is waking up in the hospital telling his son that they had four challenges to complete in order to finish the race.

No wonder they decided to name our team Overcome! What a story! How brave and wonderful that Layne decided to complete in Reality Rally again this year. As Layne shared his story with me I learned that this life-threatening event has been a life-changing catalyst for the better. He now exercises daily and works with a personal trainer. This has also inspired his wife and his son to exercise regularly. He has also completely changed his diet, and since last year he has lost 60 pounds. Layne is now committed to a healthy lifestyle and he looks fantastic!

I share this story for several reasons. Firstly, I applaud Layne’s courage to try again. It is truly remarkable that he chose to participate and I’m so grateful to have been a part of such a beautifully spirited team.

I also share this story with you because it is so easy to take our health for granted and sometimes we wait until it is too late. Luckily Layne was given a second chance at life and I’m so proud of him for taking advantage of the opportunity. It is wonderful to see that he is taking care of himself, and that his family is inspired to do the same.

A healthy diet and daily exercise are foundations to living a high quality life. Sure there are many other factors that add to living a full life including how we spending our time, how we choose to think, and so forth. But believe it or not a big factor in happiness relates to the health of the body for it is the vessel we travel in this lifetime. If our body is hurting in anyway so will our mind and spirit—it is inevitable.

So many of the diseases today are preventable including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and even cancer.  Good nutrition, exercise and keeping a toxin-free environment are part of a healthy foundation. 

I hope this post has inspired you to make some of the healthy changes you have been meaning to make before it’s too late. Care for your health now before you need any prescriptions, surgeries, or something unthinkable happens.

Start small. Do what you can with what you have and where you are. Simply try your best. Deep down you know what choices are healthy for you and your body. You can do it!

Once you begin to feel better it will be motivation to continue on the healthy path. I know personally once I changed to a healthy lifestyle my body became clean and very sensitive to anything unhealthy. Unhealthy choices weren’t worth feeling badly in mind, body, or spirit. So now it’s easy to stay on this path.

Try it, you’ll see! Once you set your mind to something you can achieve anything, especially if the motivation is to live a healthier, happier, higher quality life. All the best to you!

Thank you to Reality Rally, Gillian Larson, Michelle, Layne, and Team Overcome for inspiring this post.