Shot in the Head, Still Standing

"Life gave me so much more than it ever took from me." These powerful words come from John Carter, a man who, by all accounts, should be bitter about his circumstances. Shot in the back of the head after an encounter tied to his attempt to follow in his mafioso father's footsteps, John survived a three-month coma and six additional months of hospitalization, only to fall into the depths of addiction while wheelchair-bound.

John's vivid recollections of his coma experience—a continuous dream of swimming races where the winner gets to go home—reveal the first seeds of his transformation. When he finally woke, his troubles were far from over. At rock bottom, weighing over 300 pounds and dealing drugs from his wheelchair, John found an unlikely salvation when police raided his apartment. "I was happy," he recalls about his arrest, recognizing it as the intervention he desperately needed.

The turning point came in prison, where three inmates who knew his father took him to the gym daily, determined to get him out of his wheelchair. Through consistent training, John grew stronger physically and mentally. This unexpected introduction to fitness became his pathway to a new life. After release, despite rejections due to his speech impediment and limp, John persevered and eventually found work as a personal trainer. Today, he owns his gym, maintains long-term clients, and volunteers providing service dogs to people with mobility challenges.

What makes John's story truly remarkable isn't just his physical transformation, but his complete absence of regret. When asked if he would change anything about his difficult journey, his answer is unwavering: "No." Every challenge led him exactly where he needs to be—helping others overcome their own obstacles, supporting his family including his mother with dementia, and living with profound purpose.

Ready to rethink what's possible in your own life? Listen to this powerful conversation that will challenge your perceptions of limitations and inspire you to embrace your challenges rather than run from them.