Unexpected Inspiration - on the road in Canada

While managing an event this past week in Ontario Canada, I had a brief fight with every event manager’s onsite demons- stress and fatigue.

March 11th, 2014

I mention brief, because I usually realize that the latter feeds the former, and get myself together and focus on what to do next and to continue to find my positivity. My

positivity came in the form of a 14 year old boy named Brandon.

Brandon was assigned to work with Moriah Bacus, my event assistant to prepare

trophies and distribute them for ceremonies. He is very soft spoken and since

this was a new role to him, he was a little confused as I tried to give him

directions while Moriah had to run away to solve an onsite issue. After a few

awards, I looked at him and realized that he was having a fun time! I take it

for granted, and he was having fun! He had been preparing the trophies for a

good portion of the afternoon with Moriah, taking them out of the boxes and

placing them carefully on the awards table. Brandon had never seen a FIRST

Robotics Competition before, and was taken in by the production music, screaming

kids, bashing robots, and the entire dramatic energy around him. What I was

taking as a stressful moment, he was seeing as something exciting. He would

approach the judges with me and hand the trophies to them and then hurry back to

get the next trophies in his hand. He did the same with the medallions. He was

hooked. Moriah and I presented him with a medallion for doing such a great job!

After spending a bunch of time with me on the breakdown doing things like

counting and packing radios, I went to facilitate the truck load. He then

finished off his volunteer experience once again with Moriah packing other

items, and even getting some volunteer pizza and soda. Before he parted, I had

the privilege to meet his mother and Moriah and I both were sorry to see him

go. He said to his mother “I want to come back and work for SRE and maybe see

some other events as well.” His mother was very pleased. I was caught off

guard that he knew my company’s name, and its acronym.

Through this process, I learned that Brandon was born prematurely, and suffered

a brain injury. The reason why he spoke so softly is that he has a paralyzed

vocal cord. He has been an Easter Seals Ambassador in Ontario, and from what I

could tell from the Easter Seals bio on him, has gotten to travel and see many

different events and doesn’t let his disability get in the way from him

learning, and having fun. Funny how little my challenges seemed in the face of

someone who courageously tackles life and all of its problems. I had a front

row seat to greatness, and I am so thankful to have met and work with him. I

also hope that our paths cross again, hopefully for us to “Lennon and McCartney”

together again. I know Moriah feels the same way. Way to go Brandon!

Steve