“Wake up every morning empowered by where you've been and encouraged by the curiosity, possibility and wonderlust of where you're about to go.”
Eduardo Garcia
Imagine yourself alone in the Montana backcountry. You're doing what you love — camping, hiking and simply enjoying the wilderness — when you stumble upon a rusted old relic. An old oil drum perhaps. Curious, you approach and peer inside to discover the remnants of a long-dead black bear cub. You set down your backpack and reach inside to further investigate.
What happened next would forever alter the life of this week’s guest – a flash of electricity so intense it should have instantly killed this young man of 30. 2400 volts that seared his insides, utterly destroyed his left arm, left his body with 9 severe exit wounds and delivered him to the ICU little more than a dead man with a heartbeat.
Eduardo Garcia would spend 48 days in intensive care. He would undergo 21 surgeries that would claim four ribs, a ton of muscle mass, and even his left arm. On top of everything else, he would be diagnosed with testicular cancer.
But against all odds, Eduardo survived.
A chef by trade, Eduardo began his career at 15 before attending culinary school. He spent the next decade traveling the world cooking for various high-end people on various high-end yachts. In 2011, he decided to return home to Montana to start Montana Mex, a food company that today produces a line of fine organic & non-GMO sauces and seasonings.
But the tragic accident that would soon befall Eduardo would ultimately set his life on a new and unforeseen trajectory beyond his wildest imagination.
Dubbed the Bionic Chef, I first came across Eduardo's story by way of Charged*, a feature-length documentary that elegantly chronicles the spirit of what this man lost but more importantly, what he found. It's a survival story built on the foundations of love and forgiveness. It's about building stronger relationships and a better life after tragedy. And it's about finding your best self so you can live life fully charged.
Today I have the great privilege of sharing Eduardo's incredible story. It's an inspirational tale of facing and overcoming extraordinary adversity. And it's about the power of attitude to persevere.
But more than anything, it's about one man's journey to wholeness — and ultimately, redemption.
For the visually inclined, you can watch our entire conversation on YouTube here: bit.ly/richandeduardo
I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I enjoyed having it.
Peace + Plants,
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