Plane Flies into Building

Jacquelyn Johnston, M. Ed., Diabesity Coach

No, this is not about 9-11, although the thought did cross the mind of every person who witnessed it on October 19, 2007, in Richmond, BC. What crossed my mind when I read the paper this evening was how the denial of diabesity can lead to disaster.

Sit back while I tell you the story. Why am I telling you a story that’s 2 years old? Because the findings only just came out today.

This is the most tragic Diabesity story I know.

On October 19, 2007, my brother called me at about 4 pm with: “Switch on your TV. A guy flew his plane into a building a couple of streets from yours”. I couldn’t switch on my TV, as I was in my car, on my way to pick up a friend from a bus stop in that very area. I had to double back and go home, as there were police barricades everywhere, and policemen at every corner, diverting the traffic. The entire area was cordoned off for about ten blocks either way.

82-year-old Peter Garrison had just flown his plane straight into the 9th floor of a 15-floor condo complex, dying on impact. Fortunately, the residents of that charred apartment were not in that day, so were spared a fiery demise. The last thing they’d expected to find in their living room was a plane wreck and a dead pilot.

Police and Fire Services evacuated hundreds of people from surrounding apartments in record time. They became instantly homeless. The building was declared unfit for human habitation for months after that, and as I went on my daily walks I looked up to see the scaffolding go up and the workmen doing the restoration.

Peter had had three accidents before that. He was overweight, had Type 2 Diabetes (this equals Diabesity), had had a heart attack 10 years earlier, had high blood pressure and was on medication for all these conditions.

Many questions are now being asked. Why was he allowed to fly? Why did his doctor not warn Transport Canada about Peter’s medical condition, especially after the first accident?

One of the questions I have is, why did Peter himself decide to fly, in face of one of the worst medical combo anyone could have?

How many people exist out there who are in the same situation? “Ah, I’m just a coupla pounds overweight; nothing’s gonna happen”. Just sit down and count all the people who would be affected if you had a diabesity crisis of any sort. I’m curious why people think, in spite of the fact their belts don’t fit and the scales don’t lie, they are different. They won’t be affected by high blood pressure. Or blindness, or amputation, kidney disease or a stroke. Everyone else but me.

What will it take for you to decide you need to lose twenty pounds now? Peter’s story illustrated one thing that can happen. Don’t be the next one. Call me and we’ll devise an action plan.

If you recognize any of the above symptoms you need to take action now. Denial can mean a plane flies into a building.

Ciao for now.

Jacquelyn