Stories

Robert Mendoza
"When I came to the WellspringHeart program, I weighed over 300 pounds. I wasn't active. I would sit on my chair 'ruling over my kingdom' and ask my kids to bring me things. I was always tired and would fall asleep for hours at a time. I had a cardiac stent put in. I knew I had to do something about my health, but it was hard to take the first step.

My wife Susie went through the WellspringHeart program with me. The support group was definitely the biggest challenge - having to open up and share my thoughts and feelings with others. There is a lot of wisdom in the group - seeing others and the problems they face; I realized they are the same as mine. I'm not alone.

This motivates you, the camaraderie and friendships. There are no judgments.

Today I'm healthy - both physically and mentally. I was retired, but now that I'm back to living, I realized I wanted to work again. Just the other day I ran upstairs and back down to get something and after I sat down, I realized that I RAN the stairs. Before, I could only take one step at a time.

It has been these subtle changes that have really made me realize what I had been missing. Life is about taking risks. This program was about risk. I knew I had to make some changes and to do it I had to change my priorities. Reassess my life. If I can do it, anyone can.

My father told me, and I have taught my children, "La rama viene de buen tronco, The branch comes from a strong trunk."