I'm John...
My Story
One day in January 2018, I went for my daily run.
Shortly after I would become a cardiac arrest survivor.
I'm a writer, brand marketer and creative professional, as well as a husband, father and grandfather.
When your life ends in an instant, there's no guidebook to show you how to build a new one while you live with the effects of anoxic brain injury.
That's why I'm sharing my story of losing my previous life and my journey to build a new one I love. I'm transparent, and I share both my victories and my failures without holding back. My hope is to help others who are learning to thrive, not just survive.
I Had No Idea I Was Having a Heart Attack. So I Kept Running.
On January 11, 2018, I went for my run, frustrated that I kept having to walk to catch my breath. I’d learn after the fact that I was having a heart attack during that run. I had no chest pain, and no indication that I should be concerned. It was no different from the previous 100 runs. If you had told me I was having a heart attack, I wouldn’t have believed it. I felt fine.
My Journey
Surviving cardiac arrest is miraculous.
Surviving also comes with aftermath.
Sharing my journey from surviving to thriving takes vulnerability and transparency.
Thanks for joining me.
Take the Path of Most Resistance: Rewire Your Brain Series
Since surviving cardiac arrest, I’ve learned that intentional resistance—the kind you choose—doesn’t just build muscle. It rewires your brain.
Resistance training improves cognitive performance, reduces depression, and gives you better stress resilience.
Break Doom Loops: Rewire Your Brain Series
Doom loops aren’t a willpower problem or a weakness. They are caused by a brain trying to close a loop it can’t close. Try this five-second trick that actually breaks a negative thought spiral fast.
Write It Out, On Paper: Rewire Your Brain Series
My speech therapist gave me a strange assignment after brain injury: keep a written log of my day. I didn’t know it would become the thing that rewired how I process my emotions. There’s a saying and principle in the worlds of neurology and psychology: Neurons that fire together, wire together. Writing makes things in our brain fire together. It can change your brain, and change your life. It’s not an overstatement.
