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WHEN BEING BULLIED BECOMES A REALITY

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Were you bullied as a child?  I sure was, everyday, as my disability made me an easier target to pick out from the crowd. I would like to share my story, the lasting effects that took hold for many years. EARLY YEARS It, it all began when I was 6. Each day at recess, I would be doing anything and if I was seen by these two older boys. They would push me down a lot, call me names and mock me, this went on for a year or so. This bullying was physical yes, but also mental abuse. Fast forward to when I was 12, I finally had enough and started fighting back, but in a positive way. I started to simply ignore them and avoid any conflict. By doing this, it was easy to make friends as my shyness and anxiety wore off and I enjoyed the little things. Before I knew it, I had graduated and was about to merge into high school, with it being a brand new school, new friends, and a new fear of bullying. HIGH SCHOOL AND BULLYING, WITH A TWIST When my first day of grade 9 came and went, there was so...
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THE GOLDEN DUO - DUKE & REX

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MEETING DUKE When I was 19 years old, my Mom purchased a used Chevy Cavalier. To my surprise, a golden retriever puppy came with the car! I could remember hearing his little paws racing up the stairs, I was sitting down watching a movie and he ran up to see me and gave me a face bath. From that point going forward, we were best buddies. I can remember trying to figure out a name for him, I had a few names in mind but when he started giving me his paw, the name of Duke was given to him. We did a lot together whether it be going to the beach, park, relaxing out on the front/back yard, or inside, we weren't far from each other. DUKE BECOMES A DADDY In 2006, we were interested in Duke fathering a puppy. At this time, we knew a family that lived just down the street. They had a golden retriever with golden/dark red fur, I can't recall her name but after a quite a few play dates, she became pregnant with Duke. In October of that year, a litter of golden retriever puppies were born. O...
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6. THE SCOOTER ACCIDENT

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On a beautiful day in July of 2022, my wife & I decided to go out to run a few errands. We asked our roommate Maggie if she wanted to come along for our walk. After a few hours, we completed what we needed to do and started our way home. We decided to cut through the mall, and came out to the back parking lot I decided to ride forward at full speed, since the very back lot was empty of cars at the time, which is 20km/hr  I was going straight, but needed to turn away from the curb, but I believe that I turned too quickly, all I remember is panicking and turning. THE ACCIDENT   The next thing I found myself on the ground! I had landed face first, I knew I must've had a concussion, and had road rash on my arm, and I was bleeding from my mouth. Instantly, my wife and friend Maggie ran to see what happened and called 911. When the ambulance showed up, the paramedics attended to me, loaded me in the back. The scooter was still working, so Morgan drove my scooter home and met me ...
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5. POST COLLEGE JOB SEARCH IN A COVID-19 WORLD

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After graduating from college, where I studied Office Administration, I had to work a total of 200 hours before I could receive my diploma. I started looking for work in that field, but because of the pandemic, I was 1 of over 500 applicants on most jobs that I applied for. The majority of the responses I got back stated that they need someone with more experience. How am I supposed to gain experience, if no one will give you a chance? Also I now have a deeper understanding of what its like for a woman to want to work in a more male dominated industry. Receptionists are traditionally seen as females and to break that mold is very difficult when you don't have experience in construction or auto parts. My options were awfully slim. I kept on applying with the same explanation, so I decided to apply to any call center job. I started getting denied for a lot of those jobs too, so by this point, I have been trying for a year and 8 months I finally landed a job working as an outbound s...
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4. COLLEGE LIFE

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  With a gentle push from Morgan, I decided to enroll in college. I studied business management at Oxford College located in the Bayfield Mall. Unfortunately, I had to end my studies early, as I was extremely sick and very weak for almost two months with only a month and a half left in the course to go! I had an average of 86%!    COLLEGE LIFE AND COVID - 19 After recovering, fast forward a year or so, I enrolled with CTS where I studied Office Administration with the hopes of obtaining a high 80% average again, if not better. College this time around has been quite different than the last time due to the pandemic.  At first, I thought I would not like it, or do as well as in a classroom setting but I quickly adapted, and I love it. I have now graduated with honours! My first class was tough, but I finished with an overall grade of 93%. My courses after that, I did so much better, as it was all done on the computer, I managed to obtain marks between 95% & 100%, a...
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3. The Car Accident

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  On the evening of February 5 th , 2017, I decided to go with my friend Joe to drop off his wife’s friend at home in Orillia. The drive up was going smooth, but it started to snow heavily. We stopped at a stop sign on Old Barrie Rd. Unbeknownst to all of us, someone who was driving a super heavy duty pick up truck which was hauling two snowmobiles was driving way too fast for the current weather conditions, the driver had to make a hard right into the snowbank to miss rear-ending us head-on. Unfortunately, the heavy trailer made a hard left and hit the back/side of the back-seat door and scraped all along the passenger side.   I was in the back seat on the passenger side. The accident left me in a state where I could barely move and was rushed to Orillia’s Soldier Memorial Hospital. After getting a battery of tests done, I was released approximately four hours later. Once I got home, my wife helped me file an accident claim against the driver and eventually I got approved for...
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2. MEETING MY WIFE

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  I was on a dating site called Plenty of Fish and I came across Morgan’s profile and I sent her an email to which she replied. We sent emails back and forth for a while until we exchanged numbers. One day I asked her if we could meet, she texted back with a yes and told me that she was working that day, but we could meet each other on her break. I made arrangements to  meet her and I asked for a ride to her work from a roommate, at the time, I lied to him and said that I needed to pick up pain meds at the Zehrs Pharmacy.  I met my wife Morgan on October 10 th , 2016 during her lunch break, after that, we hit it off and have been together for over four years now! Morgan does not see or think of me as disabled, but differently-abled. I am so glad I met someone who is kind, very patient, and understanding!  
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