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ORDINARY HEROES FROM NEXT DOOR

Joerg Kuehn · Jul 13, 2020 · 5 Comments

There is huge press and social media coverage on stars, celebrities and stardom. However, at the same time there is an enormous number of ordinary and unsung heroes, who provide wonderful and remarkable contributions, but never get any coverage or recognition of their moving journeys.

I would like to change that, because I believe that sharing inspiring stories of ordinary people can not only help all of us to find a little hope and motivation when things are tough, but it also provides a wonderful opportunity to provide these “unsung heroes” with an appropriate form of recognition, that they so well deserve.

Therefore, if you know anyone in your network, who is contributing in some remarkable inspiring ways, someone who never stops doing good deeds or someone who went through an amazing and inspiring journey or transformation, please reach out to me. With your help I will interview the “hero” and write up an inspiring little story which symbolises and manifests the great contributions of your “ordinary hero next door.”

In the following, you can find such an extraordinary ordinary hero. Enjoy the story of Christine and feel free to reach out, if you have someone in mind who deserves a similar recognition.

Life’s purpose in two words –

The story of Mumbai Runner Christine

The following story was initially published in May 2017 and has been updated in July 2020. Rest assure Christine keeps running and running and running …!

It’s 5.30am in Mumbai when Christine’s alarm goes off. She gets up and hits the road shortly past 6am for her morning run. Prior to the Lockdown, she was training under Coaches Girish Bindra (Asics Running Club), Daniel Vaz (Nike Running Club) and Deepak Oberoi (Bombay Running). On Sundays she would enjoy going on long runs to different destinations along with her running buddies and then bonding with them over breakfast.

Running became Christine’s passion in 2008 when her boss challenged her to run a marathon after she participated in a short charity run. A couple of years later she started training with the Reebok Running Club. From not having done any running before the age of 45, Christine became a passionate marathon runner. In January 2009 she went on to complete her first half-marathon and holds her personal best time of 2 hours and 19 minutes.

Things were going great until 2012, when disaster struck. [Read more…] about ORDINARY HEROES FROM NEXT DOOR

The Non-Medical Secret To Avoiding A Heart Attack

Joerg Kuehn · Jun 30, 2020 · 2 Comments

In the early 1960’s, the US government decided to fund a study about Roseto, a remarkable small town of Italian immigrants in Pennsylvania. What made the town stand out was the fact that rate of hearts attacks was less than half the US average.

In their attempt to identify the reasons for the low risk of heart disease, the researchers first studied the field of nutrition. But it turned out that the Rosetans loved meatballs and sausages fried in lard with hard and soft cheeses. That could not have been the reason. Next they looked at smoking, but it turned out the people from Roseto loved their cigars. Also not the reason. After that, they analyzed their drinking habits, but it turned out they drank wine “with seeming abandon.” Finally, they looked into the working conditions, but most of the Rosetans were working in the surrounding slate quarries where they breathed dust-filled air..

So, what reduced the risks of heart attacks in Roseto so dramatically?

Is this the most important life-hack in times like these?

Joerg Kuehn · May 27, 2020 · Leave a Comment

“You have seven days to vacate your property!” That’s what the judge told Moth and Raynor Winn in the spring of 2013 after a three year court battle. They had made an investment with a close friend of Moth’s. It went bad. Creditors were now claiming their small farm house in Wales.

Moth and Raynor could not believe the judge’s order. Together, they had built up the house and farm from a ruin over the last 20 years. It was the place where their two children grew up and still came back to on university breaks. It was a place where families came to stay for the summer as a countryside holiday. And most importantly, it was their home.

Seven days later, they would be homeless. There are times you think things can’t be any gloomier, but they can. Within the seven days, they had a doctor’s appointment and Moth was diagnosed with a rare brain illness. The Doctors gave him only two to three years to live. That’s how the book “Salt Path” begins, a true story of hope and fate that deeply touched me.

From handcuffs to a dream job – the power of setting boundaries!

Joerg Kuehn · May 25, 2020 · Leave a Comment

It was a Thursday evening in 2010 only a few days after her second daughter was born, when the police knocked on Peggy Chan’s door (name changed for confidentiality reasons). It turned out that her abusive husband had jumped bail and the police were searching for him with a warrant of arrest for Peggy. She was put in handcuffs and brought to the police station. She was released after the interrogation, conditional on her turning up on Monday for the court hearing, where she had to either provide her husband’s whereabouts, which she did not know, or pay a $20k bail fine. Peggy was devastated.

Her only way out was to ask her mother for help, despite not having a good relationship with her. Peggy’s mother agreed to help and saw how her daughter was being handcuffed and put in the docks on Monday. Peggy’s mother paid the $20k fine. After this incident, Peggy filed for divorce and had to move back in with her mother. This was far from easy. Her mother was a tough and strong-willed person and everything had to go her way. On the positive side, her mother pushed Peggy to further her education and so Peggy started a bachelor degree with an Australian university at the end of 2010 whilst working full-time in a customer service job and raising her two children as a single mum.

In 2013, shortly after she had completed her Bachelor degree, Peggy received the devastating news…

How to respond to a deep personal crisis

Joerg Kuehn · May 25, 2020 · Leave a Comment

It was 10th November 2009. A few months ago, Robert Enke had been announced as the top goalkeeper candidate to lead the German team into the Football World Cup 2010.

That morning, Robert said goodbye to his wife and went to his daily training routine at the Hannover Football Club. By late afternoon, his wife Teresa became worried when Robert was not back. She rang him continuously but found his mobile switched off. At 5.15pm, Robert stood in front of a regional express train. Police confirmed the discovery of a suicide note but would not publicise its details.

Robert’s death came as a great shock to the nation and the entire international football community. The question remains – Why would such a successful footballer end his life at the top of his career?

English Blog

Life’s purpose in two words –

The story of Mumbai Runner Christine

The following story was initially published in May 2017 and has been updated in July 2020. Rest assure Christine keeps running and running and running …!

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