My dad attempted suicide and survived.
7 years later, he shares the message he wants other men to hear:
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Before we begin, what I'm about to share is public information.
I'm the founder of .
And, I hosted an event for my clients in Orlando, FL. where my father revealed this story, totally unprompted.
My father knew it was being recorded.
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My plan was to interview him about the consequences of his poor health. I thought it would help motivate the men I work with to lose fat permanently.
I didn't expect him to share our family's biggest secret.
You can find the full interview here:
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In fact... My father and I had never even discussed his suicide attempt before the interview.
It was too painful. For 7 years, between each other, we both pretended it never happened.
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But, my dad said he felt called by God to share, in hopes that other men would avoid the mistakes that led to him attempting to take his own life.
Here's what happened:
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My father said he made a major mistake in life.
And, that mistake was when he stopped working out.
He had kids.
He was going to school.
And, he was working overtime to provide for his family.
These are things any good man would do.
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But, he admitted that all of his excuses were selfish.
He said all men know deep down, they can find the time.
In the interview, he says "If you guys ever think that (giving up the gym) is the right decision - it's not."
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Within just 7 years of giving up the gym, he found himself in a coma.
An 18 day diabetic coma where he had to be put on life support.
Those excuses had come back to bite him.
And, things only went downhill from there.
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For the next decade, my father was in and out of the hospital multiple times per year.
He developed type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, and suffered from immobilizing back pain.
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He was even hospitalized 18 times in one year (for ~ 1.5 weeks each time).
Unhealthy habits, sickness, and pain started to become part of his identity.
And, that's where the downward spiral of his mental health began.
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Repeated failed diets.
Repeated hospital trips.
Repeated failed attempts at keeping the weight off.
He was on a yoyo-cycle of failing to manage something as basic as his health.
And, that cycle began to beat down his self-confidence.
He didn't feel like a man anymore.
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The worst part was - this trickled down to his family.
It pains me to say this, but as a son, I lost respect for my father.
He was supposed to be the leader of the household...
But he couldn't even lead himself.
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All of the failure, the financial stress, and the lack of respect put my father into a deep depression.
He started to question his purpose.
He started to question his identity.
He started to ask himself "I wonder if my family would be better off without me?".
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The saddest part was, my father kept it all to himself.
He didn't have a group of like-minded men in his life who could help him overcome his struggles.
What that meant was - after one year of battling depression - everything imploded...
This is when it all went down...
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One night, in 2016, my brothers and I get a seemingly random call from my father...
He's on a business trip out of state.
And on this call, all he says to each of us is "I love you, son. And I will always love you..."
We didn't realize this was his last goodbye...
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In the full interview - my father shares how minutes before he called us - he attempted to kill himself by drug overdose.
That night, he took:
- 20 Percocet
- 40 Tramadol
- 30 Tylenol PMs
- & an unknown amount of other pills
He began to slip away as he said goodbye to me...
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But, that was not God's time for him.
By the grace of God, my father miraculously survives.
When he's found, he's immediately rushed to the ER and then transferred to a psychiatric facility where he recovers for a week before returning home.
But, there's more.
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I would love to say that my father had a complete 180 after that.
But, he didn't.
There were more hospital visits.
There were more financial struggles (he was forced to retire).
There were more mental breakdowns.
But, one day - he had a final wake-up call.
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In the interview, my dad tells the story of when my little brother interrupted him in the middle of a conversation on the pool deck.
My dad was speaking very negatively about his prognosis.
And, then my little brother said...
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"Dad, if you keep talking that way, you really are going to die."...
My dad says he believes this was the voice of God.
From that point forward, he took action on getting healthy for his family.
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Through a combination of:
- My little brothers wake up call
- My mothers encouragement
- My older brothers grace & support
- And inspiration from the men inside my coaching program
My father began to turn things around.
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My dad lost 40 pounds, he is off about half of his medications, and he's working out, and changing his unhealthy Default Actions.
He now lives a life of positivity and gratitude, and any resentment I had for him is gone.
The wounds of our relationship are healed.
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I have nothing but respect for my father now.
He displayed the single greatest act of masculine courage I've ever witnessed when he shared his story at the DK event.
The two biggest lessons he shared with the DK men were:
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1. Never, ever, neglect your physical health.
My father says if we as men don't have our health, we have nothing.
Our bodies are the vehicles we use to lead, protect, and provide for our families.
Our bodies are a display of our discipline, drive, and of our love for God.
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2. You must find a circle of like-minded men.
In the interview, my father says he believes he never would've attempted suicide if he had just one or two men in his life who he could talk to about anything.
This is what we mean when we say "Iron sharpens iron."
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I am eternally grateful that my father is here with us today. And, I'm blown away by his courage to share his message.
Dad, if you're reading this, I love you. I will always love you. Thank you for showing me what courage and leadership really is.
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If you're a man, and you're struggling with your mental health, please, do not neglect your physical health and do not go through life alone.
Taking care of your body is taking care of your mind.
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If you know someone who's been a victim of suicide, or depression please share this message to spread awareness and education.
And, never hesitate to check in on a friend.
My dad said it's the people who seem to be "just fine" that are often struggling the most.
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And if my dad's struggles resonated with you, whether you're a father or future father, don't hesitate to book a call with my team at for help.
Or send me a DM.
We offer free brainstorming sessions to talk about how to improve your health & mindset
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I've seen too many men go through life alone, thinking they're too far gone.
But if my father's story tells me one thing, it's that you're never too far gone.
There is always hope.
There are people who love you.
Keep going. Reach out for help.
You are worth it.
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Remember - if God gave you another day of life there is a purpose he has for your life & there are blessings he has for your life.
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