What started as a walk to urgent care ended with the words, ‘you’re having a heart attack,’ and a truth I never saw coming. An angiogram gone silent, and five blocked arteries that shouldn’t have let me stand. Then the doctor’s words about my eventual fate - “that was going to be you” - became the line that split my life in two. That surgery didn’t just save me. It became the compass I’ve followed ever since.

In this episode, I talk about what changed after that day: eating with intention, moving with purpose, and communicating without yelling, gaslighting, or going to emotional war. That shift carried into fatherhood too. I stopped worrying about who my son might become and started appreciating the boy right in front of me.

There’s also the peace part and the ongoing lessons that continue to this day. The boundaries I drew, the twisted people I sent to the “cornfield,” and the stress I finally stopped confusing with responsibility. This is a conversation about survival, yes, but more than that, it’s about design. How you design your days, your circle, and your energy when you realize you don’t get unlimited minutes.

It's Here! Get the book – “Hi World, I’m Dad: How Fathers Can Journey to Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Appreciation” on audio, digital, or print.

Follow Us On TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Also, be sure to read the blog that started it all - Hi Blog! I'm Dad.