My journey started on May 18, 2011. Little did I know what
was coming next.
Back in May of 2011, I was undergoing my first back surgery (more on that later). Little did I know this would become my greatest gift. At
the time, I had sought help from every professional you could imagine, but nobody was able to help me. I had seen surgeons in Quebec; everyone was ready to operate on me, but here was the catch: nobody could assure me that I would be better afterward, and I wouldn’t be able to participate in sports or
training anymore. Not the best news to tell an 18-year-old with so much life ahead of him.
Fortunately, my father had a friend who lived in the United
States and was aware of more advanced surgeries that allowed for faster recovery and a return to regular activities in a matter of weeks. After doing
some research, we opted for that route. I was able to return to regular activities and live a normal life, but in that moment, my life changed forever.
It became clear to me that I wanted to help people live their best lives. I knew modern therapy had failed me, and I wanted to understand why and help others avoid going through what I had experienced.
At the time, personal training wasn’t what it is today, but I knew that was what I wanted to do. The first seminar I ever attended was on spine rehabilitation. I remember sitting in the back of the class, hoping not to be called on to answer questions, as I had no idea what they were saying. I left that seminar feeling discouraged, wondering how I was going to learn all of this. It seemed like a lot and left me overwhelmed.
I slowly became obsessed with learning everything there is to know about the spine. In 2012, I started working as a personal trainer. I knew I wasn’t great at rehab, but I had to start somewhere. In 2014, I opened my private studio, Recharge Fitness. I didn’t know how to run a business, but all I had was my work ethic; I was determined to learn and help people live better lives.
In 2016, I began conducting charity boot camps. I had built
a platform that could bring people together and allow us to give back to charities in need. In September 2018, I was about to host my biggest charity
boot camp yet. We expected hundreds of people to show up and to raise over $10,000 for the Montreal Neuro. Unfortunately, one week prior to the event, I became fully paralyzed from the waist down in a matter of 12 hours. The disc that had been operated on in 2011 had ruptured, blocking every single nerve at that segment. I could no longer walk, stand, or even urinate.
They rushed me in for emergency surgery—the kind where you have 48 hours to fix the problem or risk permanent paralysis. At the time, nobody thought I would be able to return to a normal lifestyle. Walking with assistance was the best outcome they expected, and I would likely live with pain for the rest of my life.
During my rehab, I took the time to be mentored by some of
the best therapists in the world to learn what I needed to do to fix myself and regain a normal lifestyle. Fast forward eight months to May 18, 2019—eight
years post my first surgery. I completed a Spartan race, became pain-free again, and returned to living a normal life with no restrictions.
That is when I started practicing posturology, a discipline known in France that is slowly making its way to North America. Thanks to posturology, I was able to help myself and start helping hundreds of others since. Normally, within just 4-6 weeks, clients begin to feel remarkable differences in their quality of life, regardless of what they have tried or been told in the past.
In 2021, I had to undergo a third procedure to clean up the same segment, as my foot had lost function. That was when I started realizing that no matter how much therapy I did, I had a serious degeneration of my spine. I knew my days running a private gym were numbered; I couldn’t keep spending days lifting weights for clients anymore. Just like any athlete, at some point, their bodies simply can’t keep up, no matter what therapy they pursue.
It was time to make an adjustment. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to continue helping people live better lives. That is truly my passion.
In May 2023, after a long, thoughtful process, I decided it was time to close Recharge Fitness. Recharge had been my home and the home of so many for over nine years, but it was time to move on.