This evening I’ll be talking to self-help professionals on The Miracle Show, in order to give you guys a glimpse into what drives them, what distinguishes them from their peers and what they bring to the table. In honor of tonight’s show, here’s a glimpse into what drives me to do this work.
I met this young woman after I nearly died on the floor of the Linc Stadium. The school district gave me a job while I got back up on my feet.
I’ve had such an amazing and blessed life.Thanks for reading.
“I am a former student of Kevin Touhey. My journey began about six years ago when I was a Junior in High School. Kevin worked in my High School part time at that time. I pretty much went there “part time” as well, being that I frequently cut class, left early or just left for the day. I had been around the same peers for several years and I never really had a problem getting along with others…except one “clique” of boys. Quite honestly, I was fed up with their immature ways of poking fun and laughing when they put others down. However, if this clique did not exist…neither would this e-mail because this is how I met “Mr. Touhey.”
It was the end of my Junior Year and I had just been “dumped” by “Jimmy.” For about a week, every time I would sit in class with him or his friends, they would try really hard to aggravate me. A few days later…I walked in to the main office DRENCHED in red Gatorade! My administrator called in Mr. Touhey to find this Jimmy kid in class, and bring him to the office.
Long story short, I met Touhey that day and every day for the next 6 weeks as he was pretty much my bodyguard as he says. He was told by my administrator that he would walk me to and from every, single class! I started talking to Touhey in the halls on our short walks. After about 6 weeks I felt like I had a friend.
My senior year, Touhey worked as a gym teacher and he was my gym teacher. I would talk to him about his book (he was in the process of writing the Miracle of Optimism), he would talk about his family that he loves so very much! I remember how excited he was when they had their second baby girl.
At the end of my senior year, I graduated High School and went to college. I did not see Touhey for about five years….Until, Halloween Parade at the end of October 2008. I had no clue he lived close by five years later. So, when I was walking around that evening I was SHOCKED because I thought I saw Mr. Touhey. I literally pulled my husband’s arm so hard it startled him and he had no idea what I was so on about. “MR. TOUHEY…TOUHEY” I yelled and I felt like everyone was staring at me. So, I walk up and give him a hug and introduce my husband. “Touhey guess what?! He is a cop” I said, “Can you believe that of all people I married a cop?” Kevin’s response is so classic: “Great! Now you have a bodyguard to walk you around 24-7!”
It is so ironic how people come in and out of your life. I started talking about my career as I am working with an insurance company now and I asked about his. I knew for years that he could and should make it as a writer, and he did which made me ecstatic! When Kevin said he was still doing motivational speaking I knew that I had to ask him to speak at one of my company’s events.
So, back to my boss I went and they agreed to have him as the motivational speaker at our State Kick Off event in early January 2009. It was the best hour of the entire day as we all sat and listened. Not one person got up, left the room, or took their eyes off of Touhey. We all cried at one point or another because what he was saying was so inspirational, moving and life-changing.
Touhey had about three standing ovations! We all brought home a signed copy of the best book I have ever read in my entire life…The Miracle of Optimism By: Kevin Touhey; an Amazon top seller written and published by a miracle…Mr. Touhey…my bodyguard!”
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