My Story by Russ Phillip
I started in my family floral business when I was in my teens, so I learned what ‘hard work’ was ever since I was young. I learned quickly and the hard way what it did to a person as I watched my Father work 80 hour weeks since he was a second generation owner. I also appreciated what it hard work led to: success, nice things, evenings out, and living in a beautiful home, plus helping to pay for my college education. After I graduated from Western Michigan University in 1993, I began my full time career at Phillips Flowers and stayed for 16 years, working 80 hour weeks, (just like my Dad) making very good income, and I was totally dedicated to my job, my employees and the family business.
As far as hobbies or my social life; well I enjoyed them..afterall I was in my late twenties early thirties during this time. I definitely enjoyed my women, my Saturday 6:30am tee times, and my Sunday afternoon rides with my Harley crew. One of my main obsessions, ever since I was a teenager, was bodybuilding, this is something I would never give up…or so I thought. It was not easy keeping up with the workouts, special diets, competitions, but I kept trying. It got harder as I got older to maintain my weight, strength and talent in this area. In order to do so I had to train at least 8 hours a week and even more if there was a competition I wanted to be in. During this time, if I got 5 hours a sleep a night it was a good night. I was working hard, playing hard, but for the most part it still worked..after all, I was young.
As time went on I got married and had two beautiful children, still working just as hard, but now wanting to spend time with my new babies, and maintain the lifestyle I had; not an easy task. My two children, Dakota and Brock were then and still are the loves of my life. As much as I knew this, the reality was that in order to maintain the lifestyle I had, the life I wanted them to have, and the life I wished for all of us in the future, time with them ended up not being as much of a priority as it should have been. That is a hard reality fact that I realize now looking back, but there are no ‘do overs’ just what I can do moving forward.
In 2008 I departed the family floral business and began a life changing adventure as an Entreprenuer. I started and operated five internet companies, became a “YouTube” sensation with over 1,000,000 followers as Russ on Flowers and was an educator to brides as to how to make your own floral pieces. I was at the top of my game, or so I thought, until one morning, I woke up and it all came to a screeching halt.
It was Thanksgiving week 2013, a month before my 44th birthday when I suffered a massive stroke and literally almost died. The first day was a blur but the next morning when I woke up I realized I could not move the right side of my body and face. I could not walk, balance and my fine motor skills were completely compromised. I also could not speak..”what the hell was happening to me”, was all I could think. It was the beginning of the end in my mind, and soon my life changed and I realized it would never be the same again. Gone were my businesses, my career, my speech, my right leg, arm and side of my face. I could not even go to the bathroom without assistance, embarrassing it was to say the least! I was mortified, how did I go from benching 540lbs, to not being able to hold a cup of coffee in one day? Think of it, in one day…it all changed!
My journey was not easy, and I must give credit to my two children (who at the time were 8 and 6 years old) and whose unconditional love, smiles and constant support gave me the will to try and live. If nothing else, they made me want to get out of the hospital onto my next journey step, which was full time rehab.
You would think rehab would be a relief and easier, hell no! It was so hard and actually made what happened to me become a reality and one I did not want to face. This is when depression really started to kick in, and it was dark.
Yes, did I see I was not as bad as some? Of course, but I also realized how bad of shape I was really in. How do I go on? Why do I go on? Was it worth it? I kept my childrens faces in my head, and started to pray and pray hard, ‘please Lord, keep me strong, I don’t feel strong, hold me in your arms and help me’. This became my every day prayer, and I also have to give credit to my sisters and brother who kept coming by, my doctors, therapists and friends. I knew I could not let any of these people in my world and I could not let God down, I HAD to get better! With that faith, belief and support, I got up every day and kept working on getting better.
During this life changing time I really began to realize how precious life was and how ungrateful and selfish I had been. I also started to realize that this ever changing life experience could ultimately be a positive change, as long as I could keep my mind on what the ‘end game’ was, which was to get better!
A long, tough, humbling road was ahead once I got out of rehab, but I had decided that I had to keep going, I had to live and be a better person, Father, brother and friend. I ultimately had to go on, continue on my new faith journey, and work to improving my life while helping others.
Now, it’s 2017 and my goal is to use what I have learned from my experience to help other stroke survivors, and their families, and continue to work on myself and my new life. I got a second chance, that is how I look at it, and I’m going to use what God has given me to help others now.