Michael Jacuk, after being a Champion bodybuilder in 2012, a professional underwear model in 2014, a 5 times Men’s Physique competitor, and successful Personal Trainer for over a decade – on December 4th, 2016 I was hospitalized with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). This was devastating. I was deemed incapable of working and placed on disability. I was incapable of exercise. I was unwell in all aspects of my mental, emotional and physical health until 3 months later, in April 2017 I began 16+ hours/week of occupational therapy, speech therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy at the Acquired Brain Rehabilitation Center in Ottawa. The injury will always be present on some level, but those next 8 months tested not only my drive to recover but every character trait I called my own. It was through this recovery process that I realized: our health, fitness, our general wellness, is all based upon so much more than just simply what we eat and how or how often we move our bodies. Health and Wellness is a Spectrum.
