Welcome to Warriors Unmasked! Today, we have an incredible guest, Paul Laberge, a mental health advocate, multi-sport athlete, and founder of One Step Forward. His journey is nothing short of inspiring.

As a kid, Paul had a speech impediment that made him afraid to speak. But as he got older, he found his voice, and it got him in trouble for talking too much at school. High school wasn't easy, but college was better, and he started achieving success in his sports career.

But then, tragedy struck. Paul noticed his father acting differently, and he started experiencing anxiety but didn't know why. His aunt passed away, and he regretted not spending more time with her. Then his father was investigated for fraud, and he attempted suicide. A month later, Paul tried to take his own life too.

Things got even harder when Paul's dad went to jail. Then, after regaining his freedom, his father passed away just three days after being set free from prison. But instead of giving up, Paul decided to turn his pain into a force for good.

In 2019, he embarked on a walk from Saskatoon to Lloydminster to raise awareness about mental health. He called it Project Little Bear and collected toys to donate to children in need. The community support was overwhelming!

Now, Paul is getting back into public speaking and continuing his advocacy work, changing one life at a time! His story is one of resilience and hope, and it's a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there's always a way forward.

Thanks for tuning in to Warriors Unmasked. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button and stay tuned for more incredible stories of triumph over adversity!

LINKS:

• malarchuk.com/book 
• malarchuk.com 
• www.thecompassionateconnection.com
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Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:02 Get to know today’s guest
• 1:34 Thank you to today’s sponsors 
• 2:39 Growing up as Paul Laberge
• 7:00 Paul’s time in public school 
• 12:00 The phone call that changed everything for Paul
• 18:16 Walking with someone post a suicide attempt 
• 21:42 When Paul hit rock bottom 
• 24:00 When Paul started to feel hope again
• 28:26 How Paul handled watching his Dad go to jail
• 34:09 The aftermath of losing a loved one
• 40:12 Keep moving forward: How Paul found his message
• 50:10 The importance of remembering how far you have come
• 53:28 Never forget you have a purpose!