A Close Call with Death

Christian Deputy is our guest experiencing what every outdoor enthusiast fears most and that is, a severe accident that can cause life long physical and emotional trauma on you and how do you live out the rest of your life from that event or in this case, A Close Call With Death.  Christian went out one day in the Wasatch Crest mountains of Utah and had a tragic wreck on his mountain bike hitting a tree with his head.  That trauma fractured Christian's  C-Spine (C-2), pinching his spinal chord and caused him to be life flighted to the IMC hospital in critical condition and, paralyzed from the neck down. Today, we talk through that day, the miracles that kept Christian alive, his treatments and therapy, the road back and where he is today in his life.  Christian is one of the kindest, friendliest men I know and I am personally grateful he is alive to tell about this incredible story.

Dave Saljestad comes to me as a friend of a friend who over lunch tells me of a story where he faced certain death when washed overboard a fishing boat in the treacherous waters of the Bearing Strait off the coast of Alaska in 15 degree water that instantly froze the decks as they fished throughout the night.  Scarey! yes!  Dave is alive to tell about this adventure trying to make serious money to make a living.  Ironic how working so hard to make a living is the cause of so many deaths.  Dave's occupation is one of the most dangerous in the world.  Tune in on this story and see how this experience has effected Dave and those who love him.

Bret Hutchings is our guest representing the men and women who risk their lives going out in adverse conditions often to respond to the efforts to save the lives of people in accidents, lost, injured, and need urgent care with a helicopter rescue mission.  Bret has been a pilot for The University of Utah Airmed, Intermountain Healthcare LifeFlight, and Utah Highway Patrol Helicopter Service.  Bret has spent many many hours in his helicopter flying over rugged terrain and adverse weather making every effort to get to the people that need him.  This humble guy is in our chair to talk about what his life is like, who he serves, and what life means to him.  He has been close to death and has seen death.  Bret is all about his team and never about him.  He puts everyone first especially his family.  He is truly one of the good guys.  If you need the heck out of somewhere and it is bad, Hutch can get you out.  "Revered as one of the greatest pilots that professionals can rely on". Mike Kelsey, Retired Battalion Chief, Unified Authority Fire Department.  Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City, Utah.  Thank you Bret for your service!

This session is the first of Season #3, A Close Call With Death, providing some personal commentary and a personal close call as this new season gets kicked off.  I wanted to first thank all of our listeners from Season 1 and 2 and growing with us through a recovery year of 2021 where we heard from many people with fascinating stories of challenges, struggles, dissappointments, and close calls that caused them to over time, gain strength and growth that made them just a little bit taller and stronger.  These stories capture those that gained strength from their experiences and I am one that has benefited and have been extremely blessed by them.  The conversations have been powerful and touching and every time I sit down with someone, it becomes like a purging, release, healing and vulnerable session.  I am so grateful for the time others have taken to share these stories and I have heard feedback that people are hearing and relating to what they have heard and it is making an impact for good in others lives.  

This year, there will be some diversity in close calls to include not only those that have experienced a close call but, have been close to others that have nearly died or have died and moved on and what did that impact do to influence their attitude and outlook on what life they have ahead of them.  I will be talking with Doctors / Nurses, First Responders, Rangers, Firefighters, Morticians, Athletes, etc.  Again, thank you for listening in and sharing these stories.  There are those out there that need to hear these stories and could use some inspiration and strength through others.  Let's all grow and gain more love and closeness with each other in this new year. Until we hear from each other again, "Stay Alive to Tell About It!"

Fatu Matagi. -   What an inspiring story of the brother to Sam Matagi from episode #11.  Sam lost both arms in a tragic accident where over 7,000  volts of electricity went through him resulting in both arms having to be amputated. Today, I talk to Fatu Matagi, the brother of Sam, who in a very similar accident lost his right arm having the same 7,000 + volts of electricity ran through his body causing him to have his right arm amputated.  Fatu shares his journey with me and tells how his life was before, and how his life is now, after this terrible accident.  Fatu's power pole lineman co-worker and friend he worked with every day was killed, leaving Fatu the lone survivor of that day. How does a person get through it all? How do two brothers cope and help each other and others along the way?  This strong, brave, and full of grit young man shares how you do it in a powerful yet humble way. That incident, that day, does not define Fatu.  He writes his own story and it was a gift to me to be able to talk with this extraordinary human being.

I met Cheyenne Schwein while in Alaska with a group of friends spending a week in the wild catching Silver Coho Salmon and Halibut.  I was telling the group about my podcast A Close Call With Death when Cheyenne said, "I have a story of death and I think it would be an interesting story".  Cheyenne had her best friend literally die in front of her while playing soccer and celebrating a goal and one moment there and one moment gone.  What does a young girl at 12 years of age do at that moment and how does her life play out going forward.  Is there a forward and what kind is it? Tune in to this moving discussion with a very interesting and strong willed individual.  Thank you Cheyenne for the talk!

In this episode I sat down with Matt Oehler again for a part 2 because in the first recording, Matt shared with me the intense experience he had as a young man in New York actually witnessing 911 as it happened.  Then, offering aid as a trained Marine reserve attend to the injured and the dead that day, to going full time into the Marines to serve our country in Iraq surviving one of the areas most deadly attacks on his group to now, years later having served our country again as a law enforcement officer putting his life on the line year after year and what we can learn from that.  We ran out of time in the first session and part two needed to be heard.  As I sat and listened to Matt unfold his story of law enforcement, I realized even more clearly that he is a good man, a husband, father, and son.  He loves to serve others.  He would do anything to help another in trouble.  And we sit back and hear judgement against these good men and women to serve and this behind the scene needed to be heard by not only me but anyone out there wanting to know some truth about these heroic people!  Matt had many close calls with death in these years of Laws enforcement and he saw death take place all around him for years.  That changes ones perspective on life and how precious it is.  Matt gets that!  Thanks again Matt for your devoted service to all of us. 

Our guest this week is Christine Wzorek.  Christine is one of Utah's rising stars. She is a Human Capital professional that cares tremendously for the employers in the region and the people who make them successful.  Christine suffered a life-threatening illness early in life with a ruptured appendix leaving her near death in a hospital in Idaho. Later, in her early marriage, while seeking a happy family life, she was subject to domestic violence including ongoing verbal abuse, sexual assault and dominance.  Today, Christine has managed to leave that life and redefine her life. She is raising a son, now 14, and emersing herself in her professional career of "Redefining Business Strategy with Human Intelligence".  Christine says, "The time is over for business to treat Human Capital as an afterthought once sales, marketing, and operations fulfillment are executed."  Christine cares for herself and all those human beings that she now serves with passion and commitment. She is a powerful source!  Tune in!