"80" DAYS of Squatting for Brother's
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
-NEW JULY SPONSORS-
Really excited again to start a new month and already have joined forces with Citizens Bank of Florida employee and the Ben Wilde Family starting off the new month! I really want to thank Big Dave "Silverback" Coughlin who has been sporting our Shakey Shirts in all the meets he enters...he pushes me to become a better coach and person.
THE SILVERBACK |
365#
Today my legs were not feeling very cooperative when I came to work this am. I kept putting off squatting, so I coached some and then watched Big Dave Coughlin train for his up coming event and thought I need to get started while I have some studs here!!!! Dave and I started squatting and after hitting 315# I knew I had more in me so I went to 345# which felt horrible....meaning instead of just standing up with a little effort it felt like a house was sitting on my back and it took 10 min to stand! That really pissed me off because in my mind 345# should not be that heavy. So I put on 365# and with a bit of grunting I stood faster than the lift before with less weight. Needless to say Dave was gone so I didn't want to push it to much more without a spotter to help me. I wanted to stop-I wanted to quit but I thought about you guys and my other brothers and knew I needed to try some more. This coming month of July I will be at 320# for 31 Days which will be a hard test for me....but nothing compared to what you and your families face daily.
Day 79 - 365#...most weight to date brother! Also a brother stopped by and made a wonderful donation today! I will post more tonight.....you all are loved and thought of....today proved it to me too |
Sunday, June 28, 2015
DAY 78
Sunday, June 28 2015 is Day 78 of the journey to raise funds for Firefighter's S Vansravenswaay and FF J Perez and their families. Each month I have been adding 5# each month so in 2 days I will go to 320# for 31 days in the month of July....with God's Grace! At the end of July that will put me at 109Days and almost 1/3 of the year of Squatting. I am asking for help in ways of funding so each month I have cash to give these families who are in need of our help! There is so much going on behind the scenes that we can not see that the families are going through. Financially they are beyond strapped....NOBODY can plan for what has happened or be prepared for this. If you can I ask for prayers to keep me going, sometime in the next 6 months I will have double knee replacement and for a few days will need Rachel to take over Squatting for a week or so. I ask for the strength to get through this so I can honor my brothers daily. Here are this weeks last lifts of each day....
6/21/15 -315 X 2, Mon -22- 315 x 1, Tues-23- 315# x 1, Wed-24-315 x 2, Thurs-25-315# x 1 All in S Carolina, Fri-26- 320# x 2, Sat-27- 315# x 1, Sun-28-315# x 2.
Shakey and JP, I as well as many are with you. Do not stop fighting. Love ya-Bull
Monday, June 22, 2015
71 DAYS of SQUATTING for SHAKEY / JP...and more
Not positive where to begin this but I am going to just go from where my heart and mind is right now I just found out my Lt. from Squad 1 is also battling cancer and from what I heard he was doing better but it has come back with a vengeance. A lot of the Squad crews have died or gotten very sick and I am pissed. I am floored by the number of OCFRD men and women who have gotten cancer or some untreatable illness and not much has been done. Maybe I just have not looked in the right places but from where I stand I don't see any group who is designed to help a family who is going through this. I hope I am wrong but I can not find any. WHY? Is it that we never thought of forming an advocacy group or a group who can lead or counsel families when something so severe happens? Do we just feel bad when someone dies or gets really sick and then forget like it all just goes away? There are a lot of people in our department who are wiser than me surely we have somewhere for them to turn for help. Something else I need to speak about....I received a call this evening that one of the families is having a very hard go of it right now...financially, that a job was lost or could be since they are the primary caregiver. I NEED HELP. I have been squatting for 71 days straight now and have raised a small amount of money I gave $1,500.00 last week to a family and was able to put $200.00 in the fundme account also. Before that between selling the shirts which I only sold but were made by Jenn Corbin, and the Sweating for Shakey HERO WOD we raised nearly $5,000.00. Today another $400.00 was given from the purple shirts fund.
I don't know what else to do. I am in South Carolina right now and am taking shirts to some firehouses here to sell. I am also "maybe" driving to Tenn to get some shirts signed by some athletes for a raffle to be held soon. BUT I NEED HELP! I get a whole bunch of likes on Facebook but not very many messages or phone calls that say hey Bull i got $25. for the fund or I can sponsor you at $1.00 a day for a year($365.00- you can break this up in any kind of payment) or even here's $30.00 for a month worth of sponsoring. I know that money is tight ya'll I am in the same shoes. BUT we and only we can do this together.....I will NOT stop squatting so I either do it and raise funds or I am doing it just so Shakey, Lisa, JP and Rachel know they are not alone and that every single day I am thinking and praying for them. I now think about Mike Bean and Charlie Walsh....not to mention others that flood in while I get under that bar. Some days it is those memories of friends who are gone that motivate me some days it's my word that I said I would so I do. PLEASE spread this blog to non FF's to family and friend's who can afford to donate....please call me or message me with a donation. Trust me those who know me know I DO NOT WANT TO BEG....but I will keep asking and I will keep squatting . Thank you to all for the donations so far and for the wonderful comments...they keep me going. I have or WE have 295 days left in this journey to raise funds and ease some of the stress. Please reach out to those you know and maybe we can grow something big that will last for years and help many families, who knows we might be on the ground floor of making a big difference in many lives for years to come. I know this...WE, together have started something! WE, together and it took ALL of us to do this, WE raised the funds I just told you about! and guess what....IF WE had not done it...nothing would have happened..think about that!...YOU have made a huge difference so far and we are just getting started. Thank you all again....much love-Bull
Andrew's garage in South Carolina, Sun last set was 315 X 2, today was 315X1
Sunday, June 21, 2015
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY !
SHAKEY AND JP!
A PRESENT to you BOTH from your brother Engineer Dave Coughlin aka SILVER BACK
A Gold and Silver from his latest track meet wearing "THE HERO" SHIRT
We LOVE you both and wishing you and your families a Blessed and Beautiful Father's Day....PS...garage squats tonight from Summerville, S Carolina at my son Andrew's house - 315# X 2
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Friday, June 19, 2015
Thursday, June 18, 2015
DAY 68
Two months ago and after a few weeks of deliberating about doing this blog, the journey began. And since the very first blog so many things have taken place I would not have imagined taking place and turning out so well. It is amazing when you stop trying to be the production manager of situations and just "DO" the right thing...things happen and so far they have been good things! We have another HERO WOD planned for JP and will probably take place in a couple weeks and this time we will have the emails and fliers out earlier so everyone knows. It will also run 2 days so all shifts can attend. I have a raffle planned and I think it will be huge! I called a friend who is on a crossfit team that made regional's and in fact they did good enough to win their division so they will be going to the Crossfit Games. Her name is Ellie and her team is Mayhem Freedom! YUP the team that Rich Froning the 4 time Games champ is on! I am sending a Male XL and a female M and they will be signing both and I will advertise at all Crossfit boxes I can then donate ALL precedes to Shakey and JP! I am really looking forward to seeing what will happen with this raffle since we will be involving more than just fire department family now.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
THANK YOU!!!!
I want to thank Clermont Fire Department especially the crew of Engine 101 and EMS 321 "C" shift and Rebecca Moore of "Rebecca Moore Hair Design" for being my 1st sponsors when I began this journey. I hate moving their pictures but I gotta stick by the rules and I do have some other nice people to put on the front page. Again THANK YA'LL so much for what you did to help me.
Tonight I will be posting this weeks Squats so we will be caught up with that and I will tell you that this was absolutely the roughest to get through. Mentally taxing because of Shakey and JP going into the hospital and the other was that I really over did it with reps and sets....Thinking i was 21 again not 55 ( closer to 56 if were being truthful). Plus one of out Lt.s is trying to gather all the names of our brothers and sisters who have passed away NOT in the line of duty for a Memorial in Ocala at the Fire College...the last total of OCFRD personnel I saw he had was 59! and the sad part is I remember 52 of these people. I would have never thought there was that many who have died since I have been with Orange County. Makes me sick to my stomach that our lives are so short. Something is wrong somewhere. Sorry I would like to do more with this topic but it will have to wait for another time. To the squats!
MONDAY SQUATS- 10 x bar,10 x 95#,6 x 135#,5 x 185#,3 x 225#,3 x 275#,2 x 315#
TUESDAY SQUATS- 10 x bar,3 x 150#,3 x 200#,2 x 250#,1 x 290#,1 x 315#
TUESDAY EVENING FRONT SQUATS- 5 x bar,5 x 95#,4 x 115#,4 x 135#,3 x 155#,2 x 175# 1x195#
WEDNESDAY "ZERCHER" SQUATS-5 x bar,5 x 110,3 x 150#,3 x 200#,1 x 240#,1 x 290# then FAILED 2X AT 315# so I did the Squat wod which was 20 sets of 2 reps adding weight every minute on the minute and it went like this for 10 sets of 2 reps each weight change- 135,145,155,165,175,185,195,205,215,225, then it went to adding only 5# each set but still doing 2 reps-225,230,235,240,245,250,255,260,265,270,275- so at 21 sets I decided to just add the weight to 315 and do it...1 x 315 and DONE!
THURSDAY SQUATS ( 18" box) 10 x 95#,8 x 145#,6 x 195#,4 x 245#,2 x 295#,2 x 315#
ok so I see why my legs are toast this week....I usually try to keep these squat days to 5-8 reps at the most and I was WAY OFF most days this week with excess of over 50 reps one day and 30 or more on others. OK enough whining outta me just stating the facts......alright no more whining!!!! I hope to have some more for ya'll this weekend. Please take the time to send prayers to Shakey and JP and the families. I am so humbled to what everyone has done to help these 2 families. It is an honor to be a part of this journey, Truthfully I would rather NOT be doing this BUT I couldn't nor would I have it any other way than side by side with ya'll. Shakey, JP please rest well tonight brothers and know that you have our love, our prayers and our hearts with you daily. I ask God to wrap His powerful arms around you my friends. Love ya, Bull
I got ya backs boyz |
Monday, June 8, 2015
June 8, 2015
Dear Rachel and Lisa,
First I want to tell you both how sorry I am that you two are going through such a life changing, heart wrenching journey. I can not imagine nor would I be able to do it justice. I talked to Lisa briefly tonight and I am so sad/mad at your frustration and the lack of answers you are getting. I heard in your voice the sound of sorrow, exhaustion and frustration. And Rachel when we talked last week I heard the same exact thing! There has to be answers and I know we can find them. I am here for you both for what ever myself and those who stand with me can do for you both. I gave a card to "my" Rach for her birthday and I want to share some of the words from it to ya'll because I believe it speaks to me about you both.....
You are Stronger than you know....
When we go through life's struggles, we sometimes feel weak. It is as if we have forgotten the many things we have been through and how we have changed our lives before....I am here to tell you that at this very moment, no matter what you are going through...you are stronger than you know.
Sometimes we don't know our power until the time comes to use it. It lies dormant within us and emerges just when we think we can't go on. And when it does, we find we had much more power and strength than we ever thought possible. So when you feel like giving up and throwing in the towel, know in your hearts that your strength is on it's way to the surface. One day you will look back at this moment and see just how strong you really were.
I promise....you are stronger than you feel and much stronger than you know.
-Lamasha Serf
I know this isn't much but I am squatting for you both as well every single day and every single day I do that I am able to say a small prayer for all of you. Please know that there is power in this and it is for you both too. I know it's not much but I believe we are making a difference. So each day know that there is someone out there praying and rooting for ya'll at some point in the morning and it's all for you. You ARE NOT ALONE. WE are here for you. May the Lord wrap His healing arms around you and give you the peace you need, the strength and the Love you need today and every day forth coming. In Jesus name I ask. Rest my friends you deserve it....Bull
Friday, June 5, 2015
' HOME at LAST '
Tomorrow we will be celebrating the life of Charles Louis Schmalmaack. I will also be saying "good bye" to a man who was many things to me over the years. He and his family moved on to our small street when I was 6 years old and with his family by his side he went to heaven there. He was a father figure to me, a jokester, a great storyteller and as I grew up he became more of a friend. He was never a neighbor to me, he was always family. He always took time for me-always and it never felt rushed. He cared about people. We spent more time day and night shooting baskets at my house or shooting pool at his than I did with anyone else. He taught me about business, about never giving up, he was always positive and helped me many times when I couldn't find the help at home. He was there when I had my first beer (probably gave it to me) , and when I would come home from college we would have beers and talk about football over pool and baskets. He was there when I decided to put the drink down. We talked a few times about why 'not' drinking was a better choice for me. I truly loved this man. He was there when my father wasn't and he was there when my father passed away, and he let me know I wasn't alone.
I miss him but I am full of so many great memories that we shared. Our relationship was special and I can still here him calling me "Tommy" even at this age. Growing up is hard because so many of my childhood heroes are leaving this world. God Speed Chuck to Heaven. Rest well my friend...you deserve it, you have fought hard...
Chuck and his family, Jackie, Cheryl,Carl,Eric and Charlie and friends...
I want to close this with some words from the Bible for my friend Chuck.....For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteous, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.....
Charles Louis Schmalmaack - June 21, 1936 - June 1, 2015
It is an honor to have you here with us in this "BROTHERHOOD"my friend. You are not gone but only now forever in my heart
Thursday, June 4, 2015
friend...
noun; 1) a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. 2) a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter
JP is the man standing behind the bowl and second from right. He is wearing the HUGE smile, which is how I picture him now and how he showed himself daily....with a big smile. I received a call a couple days ago about this brother who has been ill, very ill. I knew JP had been out sick, but didn't know how long or what the extent of the illness was until yesterday and today. After talking to his wife Rachel I was floored to the extent of what he has been dealing with. Rachel has been kind enough to share this with us through an email...
For the past 3 years, JP has been battling a rare neuromuscular autoimmune disease. After too many MRIs, spinal taps and blood tests to count, he has been diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis/CIDP (a chronic form of Guillian-Barre Syndrome). During this time, JP has continued to fill his position on Squad 1A, always giving 110% effort. Despite many trips to the hospital he has continued to do the job he loves with his fellow OCFRD family.
He has tried many different treatments for this disease. The problem with rare diseases like this is that you never know what is going to work, and every treatment comes with side effects. The most recent treatment was a chemotherapy medication. It turns out that he was allergic to it and has had some very significant side effects that may last for a while. This means JP is not able to return to work as quickly as expected. That brings us to the subject of fundraising. Those of you who know JP, you know he has a hard time asking for help (basically, he NEVER asks for help). He likes to be the one helping. He is also a very private person and it is hard for him to talk about this. But with uncertainty about when he will be able to return to work, the medical bills are (have been) piling up, and he will have a waiting period before he can get short term disability.
Besides being a badass Squad Tech, JP is a husband to Rachel (for 20 years she has put up with him!) and a father to Ayana and Reyna. Ayana just finished her freshman year in college and Reyna is getting ready to start her senior year in High School. Rachel is a nurse at ORMC and has had the privilege of helping to care for many of the OCFRD family during her 11 years there. The entire Perez family loves and appreciates everything the firefighter brothers and sisters have done and will continue to do to support their family.
Please understand that I ASKED, JP and Rachel to send me an email to explain to me what they are going through and what they have been going through for so long. They did not come to me....I reached out to them. JP has been fighting this on his own with his family by his side. It's time for the rest of his family to step in and help-us the FD family!. John Perez "JP" is one of us, a brother, a FRIEND....and I had no clue how bad off he was, and when I found out I felt the need to invite them to "OUR" group because in my mind JP and his family are in need of our help. I have talked to Shakey and his wife Lisa and they are willing to share months with JP. So I am asking for your help in a couple ways. This family as well as Stephen's is in need of your prayers I ask ya'll to lift them up daily. They too are in need of our help financially. I will continue to squat BUT I will be squatting for both brother's and their families and I will alternate months of giving our donation's. I can not thank everyone enough for taking part in this journey with me to help our brother's. But I also believe we need to make more noise about this battle and make it LOUDER to the law makers who can help make changes in how we are taken care of when these illness's strike us. BUT that's another story for another time, AND we will be addressing this soon. To make donations please contact me by email at ..bull101601@gmail.com ...or private message me on FB. I started this with the definition of "friend"and when I read ....a person who gives assistance; a supporter; I saw a different side of friend than what I considered to be the definition....I want to be a friend in this way, a brother. I do not want to look back and say..."I wish I would have done something when I had the chance" is . This is brotherhood... When the load is heavy and the road long and dangerous. When there is NO LIGHT at the end of the tunnel, this is where a brother steps in and and carries the heavy end and trudges the road side by side....no need for a light at the end of the damn tunnel, Because my brother is next to me with his big ass"mag-lite" leading me out!....Dear Shakey, JP...rest well my friends, get strong and heal...we have your backs and we are here standing strong. Dear Father, wrap your strong arms around my brother's and give them power, give them the hearts and wills of strength. They are saver's of lives and now need Your saving Grace. I ask this in Your Son's name. Jesus....Bull
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
at Mike Fernandez garage 310# Sunday |
JUNE "315#"
Sorry it's been a few days again since writing but I have not forgotten anyone nor have I quit squatting! I had volunteered to run weight changing at Fenrir's Mayhem at Crossfit Iron Legion then had to coach at a CF event on Sun in Cocoa so it was a very bust 4-5 days. At the Cocoa event EVERYONE did great from the Pit...Mike Fernandez, Matt McMahon, Dy Alexander and Rachel Camacho!!!! I am one proud coach. Friday I squatted at home in the garage and Sat morning at 6am I did them at Iron Legion with Corey Mills who we will be seeing here soon as a sponsor!
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