After I was discharged from the military because of my diagnosis as a Type 1 (23 years old), I wanted to do the next closest thing, firefighting. WOW!! Fighting fire, delivering a baby in a car, saving lives, confined space, vehicle extrications, and traveling the world to teach classes, this is what I was meant to do!! This started 20 years ago. The hardest part of the journey was when I was relieved of my job for 2 years because of a low blood sugar. This low blood sugar affected my family because my wife was a stay-at-home mom to our two baby boys.

After winning the fight to get my job back, is when I decided to take diabetes seriously. The American Diabetes Association told me, they couldn’t help me because as far as they knew, I was the 1st T1D to be a firefighter. I changed my diet, started the CGM and pump, and always held something closely for the next low blood sugar.

Serving the public is what I was meant to do.

I decided nothing will stop me again because the Chief used diabetes as a tool to get me fired. This is one of the best highlights of my career. I say this now because I became consumed to do my part in the world as a T1.

In 2019 I started my own business, Glucose Revival. I wanted to ensure everyone had a tool with them so jobs wouldn’t be lost. Four major factors influenced my decision to want to help others succeed, not just living with diabetes but in Life. First, when diagnosed as a diabetic, I was kicked out of the military. Second, I lost my job for 2 years as a firefighter because of a low blood sugar incident. Third, I woke up to an ambulance crew administering glucose gel to me, and #4, we found out my youngest son has two of the autoantibodies.

I started a business wanting everyone to have what EMTs use in a wearable fashion so when it’s needed, it’s easily found.

The mission of Glucose Revival is simple: Connect, Grow, Serve and Go!!

We believe the first step for anyone affected by diabetes is to Connect with others living with this disease. Going to the Endocrinologist every 3 months doesn’t cut it. With a disease that fluctuates in a minute’s timeframe, answers are needed now because our health is paying the dividends if we wait.

At Glucose Revival, we want to connect with all those affected with Diabetes. Type 1, 2, family members and friends. As one of the fastest-growing diseases, there is a lot of stigmas, misinformation, and unknowns about what’s best to live a healthy life.

Grow/help-Available online, by email, and visitations

At Glucose Revival, we want to be ready to help. With the most common emergency being attributed to low blood sugars, we provide a medical alert glucose necklace. This necklace is like no other because it offers, a quick find when the cognitive thinking depreciates and it contains the same formula EMT’s use to help, so one can get what’s needed now, rather than waiting the critical minutes for EMS to arrive.

At Glucose Revival, we want to be called upon when one can’t find answers. This could be because of a new diagnosis, this could be because of the unknowns of all products available, this could be because of insurance issues.

Serve/Educate-Blue circle, difference between Type 1 and 2, diets, pump supplies, and CGM’s.

At Glucose Revival, we want to help educate both diabetics and nondiabetics. The blue circle was adopted by the United Nations in 2006, made by International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Most people with diabetes (PWD) don’t recognize this symbol like the pink ribbon for breast cancer. American Diabetes Association, JDRF and Beyond Type 1 have all adopted the blue circle but only use it for Diabetes awareness month (November). It’s our effort to brand the disease, not an organization. It is our mission to help people grow comfortable with diabetes so they too will want to help educate/serve others, so we can WIN with this disease.

We want to offer to all affected with this disease the chance to Go into this world we live in and have the resource/tools-products, organizations, and tricks so you/we can live it in confidence to be ready when the next hiccup happens. Having the relationships, resources and education to go live a life without worry. Managing this disease with truth and empowerment, using this adversity as a strength.

At Glucose Revival, we want to be a resource and offer tools to help with Diabetes. Through doctors, diabetics and organizations, we have come to know what works well and if not, we know who can.

I have lived with diabetes for 20 years. I have hiked Mt Saint Helens with other diabetics, have competed in 2 triathlons, I love SCUBA diving, formulated 4 diabetes awareness music videos, one with the help from Twisted Sister, Dee Snider. I love to travel, especially around the warm ocean waters, in fact, I have been to every place in the song “Kokomo.” I’m one that believes in doing, not waiting, and wants to help everyone touched by this disease. Nothing should stop us from living the life we want to live. Now I hope to find out next week if I will be the first Chief as a Type 1!!

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Throughout the month of November, we will be featuring stories of people living with diabetes as part of our #KnowSurviveThrive campaign and partnership with EASET1D.org. To submit your #KnowSurviveThrive story, visit our Submit Your Story page.