Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob McDonnell.
Jacob, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2014, I joined the United States Coast Guard and served as a Corpsman (the military’s version of a nurse) until 2018. Health and wellness have always been a passion of mine as is being a part of the medical field so this was a perfect fit. I’m absolutely the planning type, so with a future in mind, I set a huge goal for myself, a goal to one day become a Nurse Anesthetist.
While active duty in the military, I did everything I could to set myself up for success once I became a civilian again. I got all my prereqs done for nursing school, got married, had two kids – everything was perfect and going just how I envisioned it, but little did I know that my entire life was about to change.
I was on my way to pick up my last nursing book just days before the class was supposed to start when I was hit by a distracted driver that drove right through a red light. I was riding my motorcycle and collided with them head-on. I woke up in a hospital four days later with tubes down my throat, brain bleeds, jaw wired shut, broken bones throughout my body, and countless other painful injuries; having no clue what happened, where I was, nor was I able to walk.
Surgery after surgery, test after test, the one thing that doctors and surgeons continued to say to me was that it was my health and wellness that saved my life. If I didn’t take care of my body by staying physically active and being mindful of the foods I ate, then I’d be dead no question about it.
After doing some reflecting on my life and the tragic accident that I endured, I took this moment as a chance to redirect where I was going in life. I was now in pursuit to help save others through health and wellness and this is how I came up with the idea for BlueLight Health; a nonprofit organization with a mission and goal to give our youth the tools they need to lead healthier lives.
BlueLight Health targets our youth because we understand that habits that stick are those that are formed when we are younger, and we do our best to get the whole family involved, too. Our programs are designed to educate, inspire and empower our youth and the overall community to lead healthier lives.
This is my story and I most certainly wouldn’t be here today without God, my wife, parents, kids, brother, and sisters. If there is anything that I’ve learned from what I went through it’s that we can’t always control what happens to us in life, but we can ALWAYS choose how we respond to what life throws at us, and that’s where the power is!
Life will always throw you curveballs and you must never give up, instead, push on and stride through the pain because on the other side of your comfort zone is all that you’re promised in life. To that I say, work hard, love harder, shoot for the stars, make memories, and make every moment count because you aren’t promised tomorrow, and when God closes one door for you, it’s because He has something better waiting for you in another!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The recovery process from my accident was a long and painful journey, and without my wife, parents, and friends, I wouldn’t have made it.
I had to relearn how to walk, had my jaw wired shut for months, and was unable to do the most mundane of tasks such as taking the cap off of my chapstick because I had lost all of my strength. I had become so independent of others to help me live that I ascertain I wouldn’t make it to the next day without them.
Regardless of my woes, I knew that I had to carry on to see tomorrow for my family, for my kids, for myself! Our thoughts dictate our actions, and our actions determine the outcome of our life so don’t ever let a moment decide the future and rest of your life!
As you know, we’re big fans of BlueLight Health. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
BlueLight Health specializes in youth development and improving youth health.
Our organization ensures that our local youth are prepared to lead healthy lifestyles with the tools they need so that they may live a life that’s long, happy, HEALTHY, and prosperous!
We take a more hands-on approach to educate children on physical fitness and how to have fun staying active, good nutrition, and the importance of the foods we put in our bodies, and we also teach them how to grow their own produce.
Contact Info:
- Email: jmcdonnell@bluelighthealth.org
- Website: bluelighthealth.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluelighthealth
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluelighthealth
