This episode is really special. I'm interviewing a gentleman by the name of Dave Murphy who lives in a small town in Southern Alberta. I discovered Dave on X/Twitter while doing content for another organization, and I was intrigued by his health & fitness story and his dedication. I sent him a message through X, hoping I wouldn't sound as if I was trying to sell him something or exploit him, and asked if he'd be open to being on Gym + Kitchen. To my amazement, he agreed, and we were able to record this episode a few weeks later.
Dave grew up mostly in Newfoundland and was raised by parents who were Salvation Army officers; he was around charity most of his life. In the episode it's clear that helping charities is extremely important to him.
In 1994 Dave was involved in a stabbing incident which nearly took his life. For almost 25 years after that he battled PTSD and drank heavily on a regular basis, and gained a significant amount of weight. In 2014 when he became a father, he stopped binge drinking in order to be a better dad.
In 2018 he reached a defining moment. After being asked by his then-five-year old daughter to race home from the playground, and having to tell her that he was unable to do it because of his weight and injuries, he was motivated to make changes. He set on a mission to lose 100lbs. Boxing was one of the main activities Dave started participating in to lose weight and now trains parents and kids in his home town. FInally, in 2023 he and his daughter completed their first 5km run together. He says her smile makes it all worth every tough day.
Dave's stories of persistence, community, and overcoming adversity are incredible, and I'm honoured he was willing to share his fitness journey with me for this show.