Our Story

Everyone is on a unique journey in life which has brought them to where they are now. I have learned, seen and experienced much in my 25 years of service as a massage therapist, both personally as well as professionally. It is an honor and privilege to be able to work intimately with people and to earn their trust; it is one of the most rewarding experiences I can imagine! I feel very blessed to be doing what I was born to do, to Influence and Impact people in a positive way. I am deeply fulfilled, loving life and work, and grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the health and well-being of others.

I was 19 and had just joined a gym after spending some time in hospital and being diagnosed with Epilepsy. I had decided to quit a very negative lifestyle and get healthy. I joined a gym and met some great people who were training for powerlifting.

I had been training for a few years and intended to start competing in powerlifting but just then my shoulder started to suddenly “pop out”. I would be playing hockey and my shoulder would “pop out”, I would be lying in bed reading and my shoulder would “pop out”. It was very painful and started to happen more frequently. I had no idea about what was going on and needed to get this checked out.

I went to a specialist at UBC, had an MRI, and I was told that I must have dislocated my shoulder about 30 times to get that kind of damage and I needed surgery. I told him that I had never dislocated my shoulder, shortly after that I connected the dots and remembered how sore my shoulders were after every time I had seizure. Apparently when I had a seizure, my muscles would contract so violently that I would dislocate my shoulder.

While I was recovering from surgery I reflected on my life, I was searching for something but did not know exactly what. After my recovery and rehabilitation, I picked up my powerlifting training where I left off and within a year was in competition which lasted about 3 years.

By the age of 25 I was not happy with my job situation and the direction my life was taking. I decided to quit my job as a cabinet maker and took some time off to figure things out.
My seizures had also stopped around this time (divine intervention) and I was free of epilepsy.

I went back to school to get my graduation requirements and decided that I wanted to go to school to become a massage therapist. I continued on to get my pre-requisite courses and entered Massage Therapy College the next year in 1996. The next 3 years I went through significant personal growth. It was a time of intense study, but I really felt that I was where I belonged for the first time in my life. I embraced and loved learning and met some amazing people. It was here that I met my future wife to be.

The year 2000-2001 was one I will never forget. Within the span of one year I experienced heavy challenges and personal growth. We had gotten married, celebrated the birth of our son Christopher, moved to Langley, and started my massage therapy practice.

I now had a wife, family, and career; I dove into and embraced all that I could. I continued in my studies, began working at a clinic in Langley and joined the board of the massage therapy association.

This was a very busy time in my life, which took me away from my family. I had convinced myself that in order to be successful, this is what I had to do. I became obsessed with and justified the work I was doing at the expense of my marriage and family. When I was at home I would be physically present but my mind was elsewhere.

In the spring of 2004 I had taken on the role of President of the association, and shortly thereafter in April celebrated the birth of our son Nicholas. In June my father suddenly died from a heart attack, and in December my mother passed away. It was quite a year. 

Time passed and the next years were difficult. In February 2006 we celebrated the birth of our son Lucas.

In 2007 we had another one of those “special years”; we bought our first house and moved in January, moved our massage therapy practice to our home in April, and in August our son Christopher was suddenly hospitalized and diagnosed with a life threatening viral encephalitis.
At the time, we did not know if he would live or die. I remember praying for God to give me the strength to get through; we lived moment by moment just trying to survive. Christopher eventually came out of his coma was taken off life support and moved to the neurological ward of Children’s Hospital. The next three months were spent at Sunny Hill Hospital. Deanna would stay during the day and I would come switch with her for the evening and night, while our other boys stayed with my sisters.

The viral encephalitis attacked the Right side of Christopher’s brain and similar to a stroke affected the left side of his body. Aside from the more obvious physical impairments were the cognitive and behavioral deficits resulting from the brain damage. The next many years were spent just surviving and trying to heal as a family.

I joined a couple of business networking groups and decided that after 7 years it was time to move our business out of our home and invest in growing and expanding our clinic. Our family needed our house to be a home and not a business.

We searched for a new location, signed the lease, and the day before our move my 3 year old daughter Ava fell 15 feet out of a second story window and landed on her head on the concrete below.

She was airlifted to Children’s Hospital and we were again in familiar territory. I did not know the extent her injuries, if she would live or die, and or if we were going to have to deal with another brain injury. As I was driving to the hospital with our boys a feeling of Peace came over me as I envisioned Ava being fine and jumping out of bed, as it so happens, she did! This all happened on a Tuesday, we moved into our new clinic on Wednesday, and by Friday I went to pick up Ava from the hospital and bring her home, on my birthday no less.

When I decided to become a massage therapist it was primarily due to my experience with massage therapy as a competitive athlete looking to improve my performance, prevent injuries, and to effectively deal with them as they arose. Massage therapy was also a huge part of my post surgical rehabilitation.

Everyone is on a unique journey in life which has brought them to where they are now. I have learned, seen and experienced much in my 25 years of service as a massage therapist, both personally as well as professionally. It is an honor and privilege to be able to work intimately with people and to earn their trust; it is one of the most rewarding experiences I can imagine!

Life and business are filled with challenges and adversities. We can choose to let the circumstances of life knock us down, or rise above and overcome them. We are all a work in progress at all stages in life, and no matter what the circumstance or situation everything can always improve. I see each day as a new opportunity to start over and keep in mind that the best is yet to come.

EPILOGUE:  In addition to my story, I have heard and seen a great deal more from the thousands of hours I spent with my clients and trainers, and if I’ve gained any wisdom over all those lifetimes it’s this: that every life is filled with adversity, and there comes a time in every person’s life when you know you are in your darkest hour. Prospects are bleak. The way forward clouded with fear and doubt. You tried your best, your best was not enough, you failed. But persevering through pain has taught me that every end is a new beginning. And that through my darkest hour I am never alone. Like me, everyone at Body Smart has a story; the owners, the therapists, the trainers and you.

I urge you all to seek that little voice inside you. The one that says have faith; for no matter how scary, or painful, or far, you are exactly enough. So matter where you are in life, get up, you have a job to do. The burden’s yours, the way is long, but worth it, for it will transform you in ways you can never imagine. (I know. I’ve been there). Come join us. You are never alone, and the best is yet to come.