The Heroic Minds Podcast

Karsten Madsen is a professional triathlete. With a heart out of rhythm he was told sports were no longer. He was reluctant to deal with adversities outside of sport, all while competing on the world stage of cross triathlons. Karsten has stepped away from his sport 3 times. His determination and win at all cost mindset is his greatest asset but he also realizes it can be a weakness when not controlled. Karsten has now made mental wellness a part of his training routine. Rejuvenated and prepared, Karsten is ready to chase success. He now has his eyes set on being the 2018 ITU Cross World Champion in Denmark and competing in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Cliff Bar

Website: www.heroicminds.live

Instagram: @Ben_Fanelli_

Ryan Martin is biking across Canada. It took him a long time to figure out what was going on in his head. Time after time he thought his problems were solved. When he finally accepted his bipolar disorder he found the path of resilience. Overtime Ryan has learned how to manage his thoughts and emotions to live a fulfilling life. He is biking 8000km across Canada to instil courage in others dealing with mental health challenges. www.mindcycle.ca

Website: www.heroicminds.live

Instagram: @Ben_Fanelli_

Marc Savard played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League. He had an obligated yet heroic journey through concussion to finish an incredible career. We discuss how he reached his dream and the moment he realized in the locker room mid-game that it was going to be his last game as a professional hockey player. We finish with a fun discussion about another sport he may play professionally one day.

Website: www.heroicminds.live

Instagram: @Ben_Fanelli_

On the surface people see a young NCAA swimmer, a friend, a sister, a teammate. What you don't see is that Julia ventured through and found control over epilepsy and bipolar disorder, overcoming both challenges to compete in the pool again with her D1 Swim Team at La Salle University in Philadelphia. Julia has since then finished her undergrad degree and is in the process of becoming a lawyer. Julia explains how taking the time to find control over adversity isn't a reason to give up or dwell on being stagnant... because a pause doesn't mean it's over.

Eric Bolton had the choice; med school or music... safety or passion. He chose passion and hasn't looked back. Eric is a successful business owner and recording artist. He goes to work everyday to create, teach and share his passion with the world. We sit in his loft studio and talk about the inherent adversities and exciting risk in chasing your passion, how to organically grow a sustainable customer base, how to make the right decision and the fact that everyone is an entrepreneur.

Brett Maclean just reached his lifelong dream of playing in the NHL...then his heart stopped and his life changed forever. From the moment he woke up in the hospital to sitting here chatting with me, Brett carries an aura of control and composure. That is what made him a successful hockey player and with a 5% chance of living, a successful survivor. We start with his journey to the NHL, then discuss his life changing heart attack, the lessons he has learnt and how you can support the Heart & Stroke Foundation. @mackattack_39

Amber Shewfelt is the definition of toughness. She is living a triumphant life with Cystic Fibrosis, setting and achieving goals regardless of the daily adversity. Her main goal is to make life better for others dealing with CF in a selfless and remarkable way. We discuss life, death, and how to share your message in a way that can change a life. Amber also shares that feeling upset and frustrated shouldn't be avoided to hide the truth, but rather embraced to accept the truth and find a way through. **Share this podcast to support those living with CF and tag @CFCanada @ambershewff

Kelly Boaz, a successful and vibrant Holistic Nutritionist had an undiagnosed eating disorder from the age of 11-18. She was diagnosed with an eating disorder from the age of 18-28. Her story makes very clear, what it is like to have an eating disorder and what it takes to overcome. In this episode we discuss her story, mental health and how fear can scare us away from the answer or mold us into our own hero. This episode concludes with my inability to form a sentence after Kelly overloads us with motivation to beat our fears and the benefits of doing so. www.kellyboaz.com

Chasing the NHL to Battling Cancer to Engineering at The University of Waterloo. We touch on Eminem, "gutting it out", painting your daily canvas, surgery, and much more. You can reach Nik at: Twitter: @KneNik Instagram: @Nknezic

My name is Ben Fanelli and what lead me to creating this podcast was waking up in a hospital with no idea where I was to the news that I was lucky to be alive, I will never play sports again and that my brain was bleeding in three places.

This was a month after I took a huge step forward in reaching my dream of being a professional hockey player. 

After a rollercoaster ride of recovery, I managed to return to the game two years later. I earned a try-out with the New York Rangers and was the captain my final season. Since then I counted my blessings and moved on from chasing my dream of playing in the NHL.

What I learnt along the way is that; it is not the strongest or smartest that thrive in life, it is those with the ability to persist and perform through inherent adversity.

This episode is about my story and what the future holds for HeroicMinds and the HeroicMinds Podcast.