A leap of faith sounds so cliché that I almost didn’t want to write this post.
Fortunately, I found inspiration from my conversation with Kevin Hines on the Quite Franklin podcast.
Trust me, his story is so remarkable, you’re not going to want to miss it.
Kevin has struggled with mental health and bipolar disorders since he was a child.
Not knowing who or where to go for help, Kevin spiralled further into negativity and despair.
It all came to a head one day on Monday, September 25, 2000.
Increasingly desperate and suicidal, Kevin boarded a bus bound for the Golden Gate Bridge. Once there, he got onto the railing, closed his eyes, and leaped off the deck.
Falling 25 stories in four seconds, Kevin shattered his vertebrae upon impact. Miraculously, a sea lion found him and kept his near lifeless body afloat till the coast guard arrived. If not, Kevin would have certainly drowned to death that day.
To date, only 4 percent of people who jump from the Golden Gate survive. Kevin is undoubtedly one of the lucky few.
What I found most compelling about Kevin’s miraculous story was how he rediscovered his faith.
For most people, they usually hit rock bottom first before they “see the light” or start to sober up.
Kevin, on the other hand, heard God speak to him as he was falling on the way down.
It continues to amaze me how the almighty above touches our lives in the most profound of ways.
Losing Hope Vs. Finding Faith
I’d imagine that hurtling to your doom isn’t the most opportune of moments to connect with God. But Kevin was pleading, “God, please save me, I don’t want to die, I made a mistake…”
In those precious few seconds, God heard Kevin’s prayer. He must have, Kevin insists.
The proof is in what happened after his crash landing into the waters below the Golden Gate bridge.
First there was the sea lion that came out of nowhere which kept pushing Kevin’s body up to keep him from sinking.
Then, the swift arrival of the coast guard allowed him to reach the hospital in time.
What about the back surgeon – who was supposed to be off at the time – but stayed on for other things and just happened to become available when Kevin was whisked into the ER.
Coincidences? Not to Kevin.
These series of fortunate events saved his life. Raised in a strong Catholic faith, Kevin lost all hope at the top of the bridge. But as soon as he jumped and hit the water, he found his faith and God again.
Kevin’s perspective of life was forever altered that day. His battles against mental health continue, but it’s a blessing just to be in the fight every day.
“Things aren’t difficult anymore. I get to do things, I get to be here, I get to have depression, I get to have manic episodes,” Kevin says.
“Because if I hold gratitude inside my pain and give thanks for my faith, my hope, my love and zest for life, I’ll always fight that pain to be here tomorrow.”
That’s refreshing. It’s an open admission of praise and gratitude for all that you get to experience in life. Good or bad, I’m here, and that’s because of you, Lord.
I get to Vs. I got to
Not everyone goes through a transformation quite like Kevin’s. Yet, the restoration of our hope and faith does not always require a near-death experience to feel complete.
There were times that I was so drained during fight camp, I just didn’t want to continue. Once I changed my vocabulary from ‘I got to” to ‘I get to’, that one extra round of conditioning wasn’t as hard anymore.
Although I didn’t experience the same tumult of Kevin’s earlier years, I always believed that without God, I wouldn’t have made it to where I am today.
This shared perspective is what connects us both, despite taking very different paths to get there.
Each time I look back on my career and life, I cannot help but think that God has watched over me and guided me from afar.
Whatever I did to deserve this, I do not know, but I’ll spend every day trying to live up to glorify his name in words and deeds.
Living With Pain Vs. Living in Pain
There is a difference between living with pain and living in pain.
Without the pain and suffering, Kevin would not be the positive force that he is today.
It forced him to reckon with himself, his identity, his demons, and his pain. He took a leap of faith and discovered his purpose on this earth. That is perhaps the greatest gift one can receive.
You can either live in pain, or you can choose to embrace the struggle. Just remember, it’s a blessing that you get to decide.