As the story has it, one day I headed to the opposite side of the globe – the Flipside. I arrived in Korea February 16th, 2005 and thought I’d do a year, then leave. I was wrong. I stayed, launched my first company, Flipside Fitness, and then opened Korea's largest boxing club, Hulk's Boxing (now called Hulk's Club).

After 11.5yrs in Korea, I then picked up one day and returned to Toronto, Canada. But then I left again.

Now I live in the Philippines where I am the CEO and head coach of Empowered Clubhouse, the Philippines' first and only boxing clubhouse exclusively just for women. I also am the founder of the Lil' Sistas Project, CEO and designer of Slay Gear and Baa Baa Black Sheep .Ph.

Friday, October 21, 2016

A Weekly Moment in Memory of Him... Friday, October 21

One day can change your life.

I thought about this fact this morning as I rolled out of bed, scooped up Balboa and headed out the door to walk him.  It was exactly 5:25am, the exact time I had stepped out of my apartment last week and noticed a police officer sitting in front of one of my neighbour's door.  Last Thursday had changed his life -- he had ended his life -- and it had a rippling effect on the lives of those around him including me.  I still feel the ripple and, ever since last Friday, I can't help but star at his door as I walk towards the elevator and then glance back at it as I exit the it.  He lived but a 15 second walk from my apartment door.  Someone who was so sad, so desperate for help, in such a bad place emotionally lived so close to me.  I would have reached out to him I had known but how was I to know.  All us neighbors are having mixed reactions to this situation, to him, but I think it's hit me much harder than perhaps it should.  Or maybe we should all be shocked and hit hard because of it.  Maybe that's what will bring about change, maybe that's what it'll take for us to reach out of our comfort zone and extend companionship and love to those around us.  

He lived on my floor and yet none of us here knew he wanted to kill himself.

One day can change everything. 

I officially hate 5:25am on Friday mornings.  It's a hard moment, a sad memory, and a rough reality to wake up to and experience over and over.

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