When hm Brown sets out to do something. he gets ll done. The Stouffville resident. who has been in a wheelchau since undergomg spinal surgery 22 years a o, IS no man e: to ovemoming seemingly insurmounta e obstacles t it would defeat the most sunny-natured optimist ‘l was at Tolunlu Cenrml Huap'lldl in 1991 m a wheelchair, feellng down.’ he recalled ‘I went own to Sick Children's Hospital and looked around ' Sec-mg the snuggle: these chtldren wete 30mg thlough gave hum a new pexspecnve on hls own muauun. 'I worked with children that had pain and tnlunes and they had such a posmve attitude. One day they Were on the critical list; three or four days later they were walking around ' That attitude stayed With Jim and proved Invaluable six years ago, when he suffered a stroke ‘I lost almost IOU per cent of hearing m my left ear and 40 per cent In my nght.’ he sand. He was also diagnosed wrth heart problems and sent to Sunnybrook Hospital for an anglogram In addition to a blood clot m hrs brain, he had seven blocked arteries and a defective heart valve He also had angina, diabetes and pulmonary hypertenston. and had been on oxygen for more than two decades Hrs cardiolognst referred hum to one of the top cardtac surgeons In Canada, whose rmttal reaction was to refuse to operate ‘He started by sayrn that people who do exerctses go on to live quite healthyfrves He said. ‘l'm not sure you are exercrsmg You've got seven blockages, a defective valve and high blood pressure," Jim recalled 4 0 Jul! 2012 “Then I realized that another human being. not me. was makmg a decnslon about my hfe and I could seem hlS mind he thou ht l was unht.’ Nothing could have been further from the truth. however. 'l have never been a drinker or a smoker. but I was always athletic and l have always been a swrmmer.’ sard hm. At the doctor's office. to prove his point, he started to remove hrs tie, jacket and shut to reveal a suong upper body and arms The surprised surgeon agreed to reconsrdcr and put lrm's name up for surgery. He told me he would put Ii In from of lhc board fox a Stouffville flzmmmmiwmmy OCupndvehHenpon CERT \ mm mm :Wmm . crustalm Pas-owneoflg .30d312'm “mi-WW 1mmï¬m I tuu I l I! "IV I HYUI'IDFII' EQUUS " 07 Automdl Ioulumd (Millard I Hwy 48) 0 908-888-7117 0 stouflvlllohyundalsom By Kate Uldexdal: Stouffvnllc Fm Plus When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Go Kayaking moddoygnrndmnhm 2009 FORESTER mmmmm Mdmmm mmam,m 2011 GENESIS 4.6 $11 ACCENT GL «2,433 mums .. bum-mm '17,988 nan-ct ‘143w human-tum ’1 2 988 ‘96 huh-‘23:“ vote. That was In Jammy. anti I wanted the first week of Septembet, when hn m to say h: was 30mg to do It ' hm and his Wife. Colette. and thcl Darby. 14 and Ethan, 10 have been key I: Indomttable opmt by suppomng htm If thin And his two below-d canine camper and Shep, have also provtdcd both uncon practical assnstant‘c Hu- fmmcx, alsu kr Daisy. acts as hls 'cats', While: Shep I» ma purpose and dug Bath are devoted In I Indomltablc thin And his and Shep, ha practical assn purpose than a": MI the expedition to lalsc Iunds tor a chant olhus like him overcome lmmldablc 0d and layout» life To prepar: fox his marathon effort, ‘1 kms last summer at the Harbourfrom (L. Centre and wotkcd out all winter' Th: disabled people to sail and prowdcs kayak surgery, but came through wx Ion 1 uses an oxygen tank 15:3 summer, he 15 launching ‘I plan to kayak eight hours throughout the summer,’ ht : the cxpcdmon to raise funds fl ' They helped me put my’kayak 1n the water and helped put me m n," he said, addlng that owner Dave Comgan has been immensely supportive of hrs efforts The motto on the back of his Kayak simply reads, ‘Belleve' and It '5 a hung sentiment for Jim's attitude. perseverance and generosuy 10 others. Stouffville Hyundai Certified Pre-Owned improv 'mg tr h a pc ma WCD‘ )U blew: his goal r were there ( ntlng down I )€5p|t¢ mcrcd nd 1 his two helm >, have also pn assistant: ll (5 as his ‘ears' and dog Both runon In spade part for surge: wm his lung up .0 balloon uh HG Nt‘lt vhcn )luU urge! lung u don" Colette. and the" grandchild!" 1| 3 08V alhon effort, ’I dud abo‘ Harbourfrom Canoe an all winter' The centre kc up In re NI! ldtrfu MIL Jffltly ft ICU.†ill l0! mamummg h: 'ouzh lhltk am and there 1 lhc J! H and n‘ ‘dmon J! and mmmmwm ï¬muMm ‘1 0,988 nun-u ’83 u- hunch-Hm “mammary. “Mann-hm '1 8,888 nun-a ’143 M- human-Hm zoos TIBURON GT 2009mm 2009 VERACRUZ ‘1 3,988 nun-m ’122 cunning-mm Stouffville