To Whom it May Concern
I will be doing some new branding based on the Deadshaper logo, which many people have told me they like it because it has that 1970's feel to it.
The logo was created for me by Robert Heeley, a popular California surfer artist who committed suicide last year (2014). He was a caring and gifted artist plagued with demons that apparently finally got to him. I had a nephew who ended his life heartbroken over a girl..... such a shame. It haunts me to this day to be honest. Rest in peace for both of them and to the many troubled souls that are in or have left our world.
The significance of the logo is because it was created based on my "death" in a car accident in 1990. Given less than a one percent chance, I survived and rallied back from what is termed "very deep coma" only to emerge as a quadriplegic. At one point my medical records states that I had no brain activity and was therefore, clinically dead, although luckily brief, as an organ harvesting team was on standby.
After release from the hospital, I attended a couple months of out patient therapy and was classified as "Severly Disabled". I was put on disability where I was to survive on $517 per month. I was penalized if I sold off any personal items of value unless I declared them to SSI so they could deduct those "earnings" from what they gave me from my previous Social Security contributions.
Life sucked.
I designed my own therapies and over several difficult years, I was able to bring myself back to the forefront of surfboard design. A major challenge was in learning how to walk before I could shape again. After release from the hospital, I could not work a simple screwdriver.
I developed a demanding therapy program based on Nutrition, Strength, Flexibility, Coordination, & Fine Motor Coordination. I studied or underwent orthodox and unorthodox healing strategies including Homeopathy, Gerontology, Aruveyda, Acupuncture, Rolfing, Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT) Orthomolecular Medicine, Chiropractic, along with more fundamental therapies, training and re-training:
Weight, Swimming, Balancing, and Dance training as well as other self designed therapies for physical and cognitive improvement or restoration.
I became what is termed a "seeker" and left no stone unturned in my goal to reclaim my life and personal power.
The repair of my body and brain became a full time occupation. During the first two months of out patient therapy, afterwards I would then carefully make my way a few blocks down the street using a walker down to the Reeves Medical Library at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. Many people don't realize the public can access the library, which I did after each physical therapy session to access and study medical journals on Neurology. I had sustained what is termed "Severe Brainstem Trauma" resulting in loss of vision in my left eye and I had lost my sense of smell. Although light vision continued for a few months, chiropractic adjustments helped my impaired limbs but my eye went dark one day and never returned. This event was one ray of hope that was extinguished forever.
My research and quest included the use of "smart drinks" as outlined in Dirk Pearson & Sandy Shaw's book "Life Extension" a biomedical approach to gerontology, as well as early American common sense hillbilly therapies as detailed in Jethro Kloss's "Back to Eden". I read numerous books to glean information or hope from including "Quantum Helaing" by Deepak Chopra, "The Body Electric", books about Edgar Cayce and subjects dealing with out of the body experiences aka Astral Projection.
Locally I was regarded as "the Michael Jordan of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) comebacks and have helped and inspired many head injury victims in my local community. Today I shape surfboards while still being challenged with quadraparesis, which is paralyzed muscles in all four of my limbs. I have learned how to transcend the physical limitations while also compensating for loss of approximately 15% of my nervous system. I have also learned to endure severe chronic pain that is an every day reminder of my fateful event.
Long ago I made the choice not too suffer from the pain but to use it as an opportunity to challenge myself to aspire to greater heights. I believe from adversity springs the call to greatness.
I refused to be a victim.
The death experience is a rare and unique event that, much like cancer survivors, can have a positive impact on how one chooses to live their life thereafter.
My story is a true comeback story and has huge appeal while inspiring people that have enjoyed and embraced the Hollywood "Rocky" movies and other such stories.
Today, the concept of becoming a "deadshaper" has new signifcance to me. Since the advent of scans, files and cnc milling, all the "deadshapers" of yesteryear can now compete alongside all living shapers. Eventually all of us become deadshapers where your physical existence will be set free from the harsh gravity that keeps us grounded to our planet, but eventually degrades all our bodies.
Gravity sucks BTW.
MiniMMAX, V8, Time Capsules and other models will still be available with their own respective labels with the option of no label, along with new models that continue to become available.
I have included the logo for your review.
