MY NEW HERO
John Canzano
By compassion we make others’ misery our own, and so, by relieving them, we relieve ourselves also.
- Thomas Browne, Sr.
Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.
- Eric Hoffer
I devote a good deal of time, energy, and column inches to discussing what I think is wrong with America today…and there’s no shortage of grist for that mill. At times, though, I grow tired of beating those drums. Now and again, it’s good to remind myself that there’s more to life than politics and moaning about the evil, compassionless zealots who populate the Far RIght and plan to turn America into their private playground. If only for a short interlude, I’m going to give all that a rest, because I think it’s time to celebrate a success, one made even better because of the number of people who came together to help change the life of someone they didn’t know and had no connection or reason to give of themselves to. I’m celebrate an example of how we’re better together than as a collection of individuals.
Take a moment to read the story of Michael O’Neill, who, when Oregonian sportswriter John Canzano met him in the parking lot of a Portland restaurant, weighed in at a difficult to comprehend 445 pounds. Something about the meeting O’Neill touched Canzano, who just couldn’t find it within himself to ignore what for someone else might have been a forgettable encounter, a few moments in a life filled with moments. This is a story of how one person made a difference because he could.
I asked my wife a few nights later if she thought it would be rude if I tracked Oneill down and asked him if he wanted help losing weight. Would I hurt his feelings? Would he slap me at the suggestion? Does he even want the help? In the end, I couldn’t not ask.
I called.
Please help me,” he said on the other end of the telephone.
We see amazing things happen through sports all the time, and so forgive me today when I look at Oneill and hear his story and think just one word.
Wow.
Canzano, by his own admission, really didn’t do much. He put out a call through his blog and his radio show, asking if anyone might be willing to help O’Neill turn his life around. Then he stepped back and let the process take on a life of its own. Over the past two years, with the help of a doctor who provided his services gratis, a nutritionist who did the same, a gym, a shoe store, a Facebook page, and supporters who stood behind him, O’Neill lost 271 pounds. Think about that number for just a moment. Imagine going through life carrying an extra 271 pounds everywhere you go. I’m frankly stunned that anyone could lose 271 pounds in two years; that’s 50 pounds more than I weigh. It’s an accomplishment that I can even begin to find the words to describe.
O’Neill went from a depressed, unemployed, and unhealthy man who hadn’t had a date in nine years to a man who’s healthy, happy, and looking forward to whatever the future holds. It all happened because one man couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to help because he knew that he could help. He pushed the snowball down the hill, and as it gained momentum an entire community pitched in to help someone they didn’t know and had no prior connection to. They helped because they could…and sometimes, that can be as awe-inspiring and meaningful as any last-minute game-winning score.
Michael O’Neill, 271 pounds lighter, has his life back. John Canzano, and the people who answered his call, can be proud of themselves for making a difference. Sometimes, it doesn’t take much to help turn someone’s life around. O’Neill did the heavy lifting, of course, but without Canzano and those who answered his call, this story would have had a much different ending, and I’d be writing about something else.
In a world where so many seem to be possessed by a lack of compassion and the desire to do what can only be described as evil and self-absorbed, it’s good to know that doing a good thing doesn’t have to require a lot of effort. Sometimes, just doing something simple can lead to some amazing results. Michael O’Neill is living proof of that, and I owe a debt of gratitude to John Canzano for reminding me that doing good can, and usually is, much simpler and easier than focusing exclusively on what’s wrong with our world.
