Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Sheldon Guy, Director, Women's Athletics, Improve Her Game

🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Sheldon Guy, Director, Women's Athletics, Improve Her Game
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-12-18-2025/

In this deeply moving episode of Podcasts by Dr. Kirk Adams, Dr. Adams speaks with Sheldon Guy, Director of Women's Athletics with Improve Her Game and, by his account, one of the only blind basketball coaches, about the sudden, life-altering loss of his vision and the raw, real-time process of rebuilding a life. Sheldon recounts how quickly his world shifted, the heartbreak of what that meant for his son, and the moment he reached a breaking point, only to find a reason to keep going through messages of love and belief from his son and the players he coached. From there, he made a conscious decision to “pivot,” return to the gym, and keep his commitments, launching a story of resilience that later drew major media attention and led to documentary coverage of his journey.

The conversation expands beyond personal triumph into advocacy and systems change. Sheldon shares how he's pushed major organizations to improve accessibility (including voice-enabled options that reduce barriers for blind customers) and how his guiding philosophy, “see something, say something”, turns everyday friction into concrete progress. He also speaks candidly about the added reality of navigating disability as a Black man, including harassment and safety concerns, while continuing to pursue hard goals, speaking to schools, inspiring young people, and taking on athletic challenges like obstacle races as a fully blind competitor. Together, Dr. Adams and Sheldon explore the evolving question of purpose, and how vulnerability, community, and relentless forward motion can become a lifeline, and a platform for change.

TRANSCRIPT:

Podcast Commentator: Welcome to podcasts by Doctor Kirk Adams, where we bring you powerful conversations with leading voices in disability rights, employment and inclusion. Our guests share their expertise, experiences and strategies to inspire action and create a more inclusive world. If you're passionate about social justice or want to make a difference, you're in the right place. Let's dive in with your host, Doctor Kirk Adams.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Welcome, everybody, to another episode of podcasts by Doctor Kirk Adams. I am, said Doctor Kirk Adams, talking to you from my home office in rainy Seattle, Washington. And today I have a really interesting guest, Sheldon Guy. He's director of women's athletics with Improve Her Game and as far as I know, he's the first and only blind basketball coach that I am aware of. And Sheldon, say hi. Hello. Thanks. We'll be back to you. So I, I was born when my parents were in college, attending Western Washington college at that point in Bellingham. And my dad was a basketball player, college basketball player, highly competitive. He held a single game rebound record at Western for over 40 years. 29 rebounds in one game. Sheldon. Wow. And then my dad was a high school basketball coach. For for his career. He's he's passed away four years ago, but I I spent a lot of time at the gym. I spent a lot of time at basketball games. I, I had a I always had a hoop in our driveway, and I shot lots and lots of free throws and I was totally blind since age five, so my dad rigged up. It was actually like a light weight chain that you would use to chain for a dog, and he attached it to the bracket and the back of the back of the basket.

Dr. Kirk Adams: And then I would hold one into my hand and tug on it so it would make a noise so I could know where the hoop was, and I'd release it and I'd shoot. And I owe many, many thousands of baskets as a kid. So I read about you in access Information news. And for those who aren't aware, that's a weekly publication that talks about what it sounds like new news about accessibility, disability inclusion. And I'm a sponsor. My consulting company is called Innovative Impact, LLC. And I'm a I'm a sponsor of Access Information News. And I read it weekly, and I read about a blind basketball coach who happens to live just north of Surrey, B.C., British Columbia. And so I reached out to Sheldon via LinkedIn and said, just read about you in Access Information news. I want to get to know you. So we had a call and chatted a little bit and invited Sheldon onto the podcast and really want to hand the microphone over to you. Sheldon would love to hear about your journey. Looking at your LinkedIn profile, it looks like you've been a sales sales executive. Very successful. You talk about public speaking, you talk, you use the word pivot. Which of course is also a basketball term, but just would would love to love to hear your story.

Sheldon Guy: Well, thank you Mr. Adams, and thanks for having me on your podcast. I really appreciate it. I'm not a I'm not as polished as maybe some of your your other guests may have been on your podcast. And the reason I.

Dr. Kirk Adams: We look for authenticity. Sheldon.

Sheldon Guy: Yeah, well, I think.

Dr. Kirk Adams: You're.

Sheldon Guy: I think you're you're going to get it today because my story is real. It's raw, it's authentic, and it's mine. Three years ago. Let's just go. Three and a half years ago I was at my dining room table putting together all of my player packs for my team, meaning backpacks, hoodies, pants, socks, all that sort of stuff. As I just finished tryouts and I just selected my team. I then started to notice something, but didn't pay too much attention to it because I was more focused in on getting into Into the season, so I didn't pay much attention to really anything other than basketball like he mentioned, because I spend a ton of hours at the gym. I was able to drive around, do what I needed to do to get prepared for the for the season. A few, a few weeks went on and I flew up to a city called Kelowna. It's north of me for some meetings with some customers. And I rented a vehicle and we were driving from Kelowna down to Penticton to see some product and a customer and all that sort of stuff. And I noticed that I couldn't really see the passenger beside me or the road. And so I just kept rubbing my eyes and thinking, okay, you know, maybe there's something in my eyes I didn't really understand, but I could see, I could still see.

Sheldon Guy: I was still fine, but just I would I'd have to turn my head to look over instead of seeing her in my peripheral. So that was very scary. And I think that's what prompted me to go and see my ophthalmologist. And so I went in and saw my ophthalmologist when I got back. So I flew back the next day, and then I went in and saw my ophthalmologist and she, she did some tests. And then, you know, she got very concerned telling me that my optic nerve was inflamed and that I needed to go see I'm trying to remember the the the series of doctors, but it was an ophthalmologist. And then I went and saw an no, I saw an optometrist. Then I saw an ophthalmologist. Yeah. And then I moved on to a couple other people and ended up seeing a neurologist. And so you know, that's when stuff started to go really sideways. And the neurologist wanted to admit me into the hospital, and I just didn't want to go in the hospital. So he's like, okay, you know, take these prednisones. See if we can bring down the inflammation. And things are happening very, very quickly. This is in a span of three weeks.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay.

Sheldon Guy: And so it was so I, so I took the prednisone. I felt really bad because at the time, I was out for dinner and I drove to dinner and you know, they gave me all these, I don't know, it's 30 tablets that I had to take three times a day. And there is a steroid to bring down the inflammation or stop the inflammation. So I'm at the dinner table in this restaurant. I'm counting out 30 pills on a table. I kind of felt like it felt felt like, oh my gosh, people are gonna look at me like a drug dealer or something like that. But it wasn't the case. I was. Those were legal drugs that I was, I was on, so I took the prednisone and that didn't work. And so after that process it was a Saturday morning, I woke up and I went to make my bed, and I, I couldn't see my bed. And so, like, I could see, but I couldn't see. And I knew something was happening. Like something was going on. So I went down to my laptop, emailed the neurologist and said, hey, listen, like I think I got to go in because I think something's happening. I think we got to act pretty quickly. And so he emailed me back right away and said, yep, I've got you on the list. Go, go now. Like go today. I said, okay, I just obviously had to get some stuff together. And I'm a single father of a son, so my son was with me at the time.

Sheldon Guy: He had to work that day and he didn't really know what was going on either. It was just a regular Saturday. He got up, I made him breakfast, we hung out and he was getting ready. He had to work that evening and I didn't want anything to happen until he actually left for work. So I waited the day called for a ride to to go to the hospital, but told them to keep it, you know, to themselves and under wraps and packed my bag the best way I could to go to the hospital. Didn't really know what I was packing, but just packed it just in case they were going to admit me and then ended up going downstairs. Just before Jayden was and my son's name, Jayden. And just before he left we were standing. I live in a townhouse, so I live, I have one flight, two flights, three flights, four flights of stairs. And I was on the main level at the stair, and he was at the top level of the stair going down. And he looked at me with this concerned look. He's like, is everything okay? And I said, everything will be fine, buddy. I'm just going to go to the hospital. And something's happening with my vision. And he started to joke, and we just joke back and forth, and he came back with with a rebuttal. He's like, I love you, and I hope everything's good. And I'm like, you know, buddy, I don't know if I'll ever be able to see you again.

Sheldon Guy: And one tear came down my eye when I said that, and he was the last thing I ever saw. Oh, I then went into the hospital, and they did. I was in there for nine days, and they did all sorts of tests. Like, I had a couple spinal taps. I had all sorts of MRIs all sorts of CT scans. They the, the province even paid for a $500,000 test for hereditary test to see if this is hereditary. They did a ton of tests. Test me for Ms.. Test me for glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy you name it, they went down the list and they couldn't find anything. And so I can't remember what exactly what day it was. But I went to see after all these tests, I went to see the neurologist and have a meeting with them. Yeah. And so I went in and had a meeting with him, and he was very he he didn't have. I remember this, like, as clear as mud. He had no bedside manners. He Which probably isn't surprising, but no bedside manners. And he basically said to me. He basically said you were destined for this. There was nothing we can do. This is going to be the way, the the way you're going to be for the rest of your life. Excuse me, Mr. Adams.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah. No.

Sheldon Guy: So? So that was. It was super hard to take.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: My life had just turned upside down within a matter of weeks. So I remember. Being in the hospital transfer bus back to Sir Memorial. And I walked into Sir Memorial and There were two doors, sliding doors. And the first one that opened, I walked through, or I was in a wheelchair that I didn't need to be in a wheelchair, but I walked, they wheeled me in and the first doors open, and I thought to myself, I'm back here. And the second doors opened.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: And I said to myself. I'm not leaving this place. This is it. I'm not leaving this hospital. So sorry.

Dr. Kirk Adams: No worries.

Sheldon Guy: Just emotional because it's my story and I'm still living it. And so I went. I went to my room. And I closed the door.

Sheldon Guy: I felt where my bed was, and it turned the bed toward toward the window.

Sheldon Guy: And I climbed into bed and then I went and had all these medications still on the side table. So I, I decided that this was it. This is my destiny and this is how it was going to go out. I'm sorry, Mr. Adams. So. I grabbed. All the bills that were on the left side, and I grabbed my phone and I left a couple messages. I prepared a couple messages on my phone. One was to Jaden. And the message was. That I loved him and that I hope that he grows up to be exactly what I want him to be. It was. It was my goodbye message.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: So I climbed into bed and I pulled the sheets up to my shoulders. And I had the pills in my left hand. And I had my hand on the button on the right hand. And I was just going to press send. Pop. And just wait to go home. Because I knew I couldn't live like this. Like. I just made that decision that I couldn't live like this anymore. Or at all. Moments. Moments before I was about to put the pills into my mouth, my phone went off. It vibrated. And? I listened to the message. Still had the pills in my left hand. And listen to the message. And it was Jaden. And his message was. I love you, dad. God's got this for you. You'll be okay. And. I listened to it again to make sure I heard what I heard. And then I didn't even look. I didn't even look to my left hand. I just dumped the pills on the floor.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: And then I said, I gotta figure this out.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: I can't do this. I gotta figure this out. And so. I made that decision in the hospital to continue to pivot and to persevere and to somewhat find purpose. It's been three years of pivoting.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: Persevering and finding purpose. I have after I came out of the hospital before I went into the hospital, I resigned as the head coach of the Langley Secondary Thunderbirds. I called the athletic director, and then I actually resigned as a basketball official with Fraser Valley Basketball Association as well.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay.

Sheldon Guy: And resigned from both of those before I went to the hospital, literally as I was leaving my house. So they didn't really know what was going on, but they knew I resigned because I was losing my vision and I got out of the hospital. One of the things I said was after days being at home is I want to go coach. And people around me were like, what? What do you mean you want you just lost your vision.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Right?

Sheldon Guy: I want to go, coach. I can't leave him. I can't leave the girls like this. I committed to them. I need to figure this out. I need to pivot. I need to figure this out. So I went to the school. I called the editor, Mark wise, and told him what my plans were, and he was super excited to have me back. And I walked into the school. I want to back up for a two messages. Actually came through on my phone. Jaden's was the first one.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: But the other one were from my basketball. Girls are sent me a message as well, and as a group. And they were just wishing that I was going to be okay and to feel better soon. Those two messages saved my life.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: So when I went in to when I walked into the gym two girls kind of fainted kind of fell to the gym floor, and everybody started crying. And I just had a talk with them and let them know that I'm here for them and that I'm committed to them. However, I have to. However, whatever I have to do. And so I had the talk. We had some tears, we shared hugs and then it was back to work. To the baseline. And I had some troubles. I had a friend there and he was helping me with practice, but really, not really. He was just on the sidelines and he was crying because once he put me in a position of where I, where I needed to be, I just, I felt like I had vision. I knew the gym. I knew where the girls were. I knew what the girls looked like.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: I knew my stuff. I just had.

Dr. Kirk Adams: To figure out.

Dr. Kirk Adams: You ran practice.

Sheldon Guy: I ran practice, and my friend Gabe Gibbs he's the founder of G2, and he was on the sidelines tearing up because he was so amazed at just the resilience I had to get back on the court and just to run, practice, run my drills, run the skills.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: Clearly I can see what I was doing or what they were doing right. And he would step in once in a while and correct. But I ran the hour and a half practice by myself.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Cool.

Sheldon Guy: From that time we were registered in a tournament. Howard summer tournament. And I had phoned Howard up with me getting out of the hospital, and just confirmed that our team was still going to be in, and then I told him what had happened to me. Well, he was shocked. He's a news column journalist up here in Canada. He's he's followed sports since I was in high school. Like he wrote an article on me when I was in high school. I'm not aging myself. Just you know just a few years ago. But he was astonished. And so he wrote a massive article. And you're more than welcome to go read it. It's in verse varsity letters, and you just search up Sheldon Guy. And he wrote a magnificent article on me. And then he came out and actually, like, witnessed me. Yeah, coaching a game. And so I had that tournament and I confirmed that I was in the tournament. So word spread very quickly because the basketball community is very small. Right? So we're we're word spread very quickly. And We had the, the a game. Jaden and I had a game. So Jaden then obviously found out what had happened to me. And he.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Was.

Sheldon Guy: Very concerned. He's my best friend. I love him to death. Yeah. But we we got to the gym, and Jaden obviously drove my truck. So backing up, when Jaden went to work, I allowed him to take my truck because he just got his driver's license. So I think he was shot. He was shocked there that I would just let him take the truck, because normally I would be in the truck driving him, right? Or he'd be driving, and then I would wait or go home and then come back, pick him up, and then he would drive home. But he was given the truck all by himself, so he kind of knew something was up. So anyway, we got to the gym and we're walking across the parking lot toward the gym, and I had the balls and my bag or my coaching bag, and Jayden whispered to me, he's like, dad, there's a bunch of guys with cameras and they're looking right at us. And I'm like, what are you talking about? And he said, dad, now they're coming at us. And I said, okay, we'll just go to the gym like, let's just go. I don't know what they're for. Let's just go to the gym. And then they actually ended up coming up. And I had cameras all around Jayden and I, and it was TSN, which is your ESPN.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: It was global. It was city TV. It was all sorts of news people that got wind that I was coaching and I just lost my vision. I don't know how, but they did. And so TSN and global were the ones, the forefronts that were kind of the bullies of the group. And they said, listen, we'd like to film you.

Sheldon Guy: Our executive producer heard about this and wants to push all our stories aside and follow you. And I was like, awesome. So I laid on the ground outside and I was crying because I just didn't know I was overwhelmed. I didn't know what was going on. So anyway, TSN ended up filming me for the whole tournament and then and and so they came to the house, they had drones following Jaden and I, they interviewed us and that's where my documentary got produced.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Oh. So tell us about tell.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Us about.

Dr. Kirk Adams: That.

Sheldon Guy: Yeah. So I have a documentary that was produced by TSN and W5. If you Google Sheldon, Guy, W5 and pivot, there's a 22 minute documentary done on me. And it basically talks about everything that that I did that I just talked to you about how I lost my vision, how I persevered found purpose and pivoted. And in that documentary, they don't show it. But TSN the executive director said, you said pivot 52 times. And so we're going to call this story pivot. That's where the story pivot came from.

Dr. Kirk Adams: So, okay.

Sheldon Guy: Tsn did a documentary and that went basically worldwide. They posted on all their channels and then W5 then contacted me, which is our 60 minutes. Your 60 minutes down there. Yeah, that's W5 up here. And then they did a documentary on me a little bit longer, a little bit meatier. And they did a documentary on me. And then obviously global did their interview and CTV as well. So yeah, the documentary basically highlights just the story that I just explained, but a little bit more in depth for you to be able to go and watch I don't know how many thousands of people have watched it. I get messages almost daily through my Instagram or Facebook or LinkedIn. I have no idea how.

Dr. Kirk Adams: To.

Sheldon Guy: Access.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Access.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Information news.

Sheldon Guy: I have no idea how they got the story. No idea whatsoever. Because when you message me, my first question was like, where did he see this story?

Dr. Kirk Adams: Like, I have.

Sheldon Guy: No idea where where that came from.

Dr. Kirk Adams: But yeah

Dr. Kirk Adams: It's out there.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Now. It's in the world.

Sheldon Guy: It is. It's in the world. So so I did, so I did the documentary, I pivoted, and then I just continued to try and advocate and just be a voice for accessibility.

Dr. Kirk Adams: And how would you describe your purpose? You said in the hospital when you got the messages, one from your son and one from your, your basketball team? And you said you determined that you're going to pivot and persevere and, and discover your purpose. So three, three, three years, three and a half years into your journey as a blind person, how would you describe your purpose?

Sheldon Guy: Well, it's weird because I don't have I haven't found my purpose.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay.

Sheldon Guy: I'm continuing to to persevere. And I'm continuing to find my purpose. I haven't found my purpose, I don't know. I'm a man of faith, so I don't know what he needs from me or what he wants. I have no idea what why I'm going through this journey. I'm still trying.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Still still seeking.

Sheldon Guy: Correct. But daily I try and be better each and every day. Yeah. So from an advocacy role I'm now a director with Equal Access Collective, and they're a group of like minded individuals with living experience. And I joined that group probably about a year ago. Volunteer. It's a volunteer position, but I joined that group in order to be able to push advocacy. And I have a saying myself. See something, say something. And so through my journeys, if I come across something that I need to prevail or persevere through, I make it worth my time to call. I'll give you a couple examples. Air Canada, for example. It was very difficult as as I'm a VP for my company and it's very difficult for me to book a flight. Yeah, because everything is. I'm, I'm, I'm three years into this. I can't go on the website. I don't know how to navigate on the web. I don't know the sounds, the gestures and how to book. And even with the telephone, you phone and you have to press all these numbers. Press one for this, press two. How am I supposed to find the one? We have smartphones. There's no raised buttons. How am I supposed to find it? So I got Ahold of Air Canada and I got Ahold of the VP of operations, and I talked to him. They flew me out to Montreal, and I brought my iPad with me, and I showed them how difficult it was for me to be able to find out to book a flight. Like, why is it so hard? Well, he said, we can't do this. So they immediately changed their telephone system to be voice activated. So I can.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Phone.

Sheldon Guy: At any point in time. So can you. So just so you know, and your listeners, you can phone Air Canada.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: You can voice describe where you want to go, the dates you want to go, the departure city and pay by credit card all by voice. And I was responsible for changing that. Up here in Vancouver, we have an organization, BC ferries. I called them as well, advocated for. Hey, this isn't accessible. They've made changes to their telephone system, and they're continuing to make changes for on board services as well. Bc hydro, which is our hydro company up here, heard me right away. And they changed their system to voice activated Best Buy Canada, which is Sam's Club in the US changed their system so I can actually get computer help all by voice. So I just have to say what I need. And, you know, we're in the world of AI, so it's very easy for these guys to simulate. But the biggest thing, Mr. Adams, is a see something, say something. It's not their fault. It's if you don't say something and help them, then there won't be. They don't know. They don't know. So when I'm out there and I'm struggling I let them know. But also when I'm out there and I get, you know, some really good help and I'm assisted, like, I was at Aritzia and Aritzia in Guildford was absolutely amazing. And La Senza, they were absolutely amazing to help me shop for my Christmas gifts, being patient with me.

Dr. Kirk Adams: And helping.

Sheldon Guy: Me to the register like I'm sending emails to their corporate office because they need to be highlighted that they're really reaching out. So the advocacy part, I don't know if that's my purpose to go out and fight for that and not even fight for it just to be an education tool for people that, you know, parking and you know, just certain things out there that, that just need a little bit more attention from, from from somebody that has a loud voice, like, not a small guy. I'm six feet, £220 because I lost £5. So and I'm athletic and I'm a black guy, so but that but that leads me into Mr. Adams. Some of the, the challenges that I go through and what I have to persevere.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah, yeah.

Sheldon Guy: Some of the things that I have to persevere through are you know, on a monthly basis, you know, I'm called I'm, I'm a black guy, and I'm, I walk around my neighborhood and people call me the blind n word.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Oh, boy.

Sheldon Guy: Or I'm in white Rock and people say, hey, can you see this?

Dr. Kirk Adams: And they spit.

Sheldon Guy: In my face and I'm like, no, I can't see that. I'm onto my second white cane because I was walking on a sidewalk and a gentleman thought that I was taking up too much of sidewalk. He grabbed my stick and broke it and gave it back to me. I've been hit by a truck because they feel like I should be in a wheelchair. And there's nothing wrong with being in a wheelchair, but they feel that's where I should be. And then just recently I was beaten up in New West let up a side street and beaten up by three guys because they wanted my backpack. Because without my cane, I look intimidating. Yeah, I'm big, strong. I'm athletic. Black guy. As soon as I pull up my cane, I'm vulnerable. And so I'm scared to go out there by myself. I'm nervous to go out there by myself, but I still do it. I still try to do it. And that's my. That's the part of the perseverance. So you touched on the purpose. I'm still working on the purpose part. The perseverance is that I have to persevere through every challenge that I had. I was fired from my last company because I was blind, because I lost my vision. They didn't want to admit to it, but I was fired because I was blind and I had to pivot from that. I had to find I had to seek new employment. You know, I'm not going to rely on government handouts. I'm an able bodied man that can get out there, and I've still got the talents. Even some of my customers, they absolutely love my perseverance.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: I'm still jumping on planes, trains and automobiles.

Dr. Kirk Adams: I'm going to see them.

Sheldon Guy: You know, I'm doing what I need to do.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Do you.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Want to talk? Do you want to talk a little bit about the company you're you're working with now or.

Sheldon Guy: Well, no, I no, I'd rather not.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay. That's fine.

Sheldon Guy: But it's I do jump on planes, trains and automobiles. I've got some really great customers that are. I'm in the fitness industry, so a manufacturer of fitness equipment, and I'm. I'm my customers are just absolutely tickled pink about me just getting out there and doing what I need to do. Humboldt College in, in Ontario did a whole series on me on Instagram, and they interviewed me. So it's so it's very it's rewarding from that standpoint. But then now I'm being asked to speak. I'm being asked to share my story. And if I may, the sharing of the story isn't a monetized thing. I volunteer my time and I go and share my story. But what happens is I share my story and one grade eight girl will be sitting in the stands, and she'll wait for everybody to come up and give me a hug and do all that sort of stuff, and she wants to talk to me. And so the athletic director will guide me over to where she is, and I'll sit there and I talk to her for almost an hour about how she's feeling and how my story resonates with her and how she feels like she needs help, but she doesn't know how to ask. So when I share my story and I get one person like that coming.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: Maybe that's my purpose.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Maybe my purpose.

Sheldon Guy: Is to get my story out there.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay.

Sheldon Guy: So that listen, you right now, I know your viewers are listening. They're not seeing. But you've got a six foot, £220 black guy sitting on your podcast crying at the beginning of this thing. I'm showing vulnerability. And when you show people vulnerability I have this saying it's okay not to be okay. And I find that it's fine. I'm learning through this whole journey that it's okay not to be okay. And if the tears need to come, the tears need to come. But when other people see it, they start to resonate and say, you know what? My life isn't so bad. And so when you have kids that come up and they see me talking and I'm shaking and I'm sweating and I'm crying. They come up and they say, hey, I have anxiety issues as well. And you just helped me through that by getting showing how you've got through it. So maybe that's my purpose. I'm not sure. But sharing my story every school, every organization.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay.

Sheldon Guy: That's asking me to come share my story. It's like, I don't know. It's it's impactful. They're saying it's inspiring. I'm just living. But they're finding my story inspiring and impactful to their community. And I just talked to high school. They literally shut down the afternoon, and I had 2000 people in the gym listening to my sob story. So maybe that's my purpose. I'm not sure.

Dr. Kirk Adams: But maybe that's.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Maybe you discovered your purpose right here on the podcast.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Maybe, maybe, maybe on.

Sheldon Guy: Doctor Kirk Adams podcast. I certainly have, but, you know, I'm sorry. Go ahead.

Dr. Kirk Adams: So I was just going to say, so if people want to get in touch with you and talk to you about coming and speaking to their organization or their school, what's the best way for people to get in touch?

Sheldon Guy: Well, right now it would just be I don't know. Am I allowed to share my information?

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah. Of course. Okay, so share.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Share what you want to share.

Sheldon Guy: Okay. So there's a there's a few avenues that you can follow me at. So on Instagram, you can follow me at improve her game. Remember the word. Yeah. Remember the word celebrations doctor Adams, because I.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay.

Sheldon Guy: So they can follow me on improve her game on Instagram and on obviously on LinkedIn it's Sheldon Guy.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yep.

Sheldon Guy: And s h e l d o n space g u y.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yep.

Dr. Kirk Adams: That's how I found you.

Sheldon Guy: That's it? Yeah. You can email me at my first name. Last name? So, Sheldon. Guy Hotmail.com. So no periods, no underscores. Just the straight first name. Last name at hotmail.com.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay.

Sheldon Guy: Or you can phone me, which is pretty much the easiest way. Or telephone call at [phone]. And so yeah, I'm being asked, I think I got seven in January that I have to do. And 52 apparently 52 Catholic schools in Alberta want me to come out and share my story.

Dr. Kirk Adams: So wonderful.

Sheldon Guy: But I've done about 3035 shares right now.

Dr. Kirk Adams: That's great.

Sheldon Guy: 35 schools and organizations and and yeah. So maybe that's my purpose, Mr. Adams, but I appreciate the platform that you're putting me on.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Absolutely. We'll share this widely. And if if you're listening and you are part of an organization or, or aware of an organization that could benefit from Sheldon's story, please do reach out to him. This is his purpose to share his story. We just determined that. Yes. And if you want to get in touch with me, I have a website, Dr. Kirk. Kirk Adams, comm. You can reach me there, sign up for the newsletter, or you can find me on LinkedIn. Kirk Adams and Sheldon, this time flew by. I'm looking forward to speaking to you again. So let's check in midway through 2026 and see how how your purpose is evolving, how you're continuing to pivot, how you're continuing to persevere. I'd love to love to visit with you again and call. Call upon me anytime if I if I can be helpful to you.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Absolutely. Well.

Sheldon Guy: I just forgot before we conclude.

Dr. Kirk Adams: The.

Sheldon Guy: Celebration.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Real quick. Yeah.

Sheldon Guy: So I am just a couple kind of key things I am. I don't know if your listeners know what a Spartan Race is, but a and I don't know if Spartan Race is.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay, I do not.

Sheldon Guy: So it's a it's A5K obstacle race up a mountain. So you gotta go through 25 different obstacles.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay.

Sheldon Guy: And up a mountain. So I am one of the very first blind athletes to compete in not one, but two Spartan races in the last two years.

Dr. Kirk Adams: All right.

Sheldon Guy: Never done that. And then I actually just competed this year in my friends fitness facility. It's called Fitness World Canada. And they held a Deca strong competition and again, it's an obstacle race and I am the only blind person that competed in that in Canada. And then this winter I'm going to be learning how to ski. I know there's other blind people that know how to ski, but I'm fully blind and I'm going to be learning how to ski.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Good.

Sheldon Guy: And and then there's a couple other things I'm going to be learning. Professional golf, blind golf.

Dr. Kirk Adams: With.

Sheldon Guy: Doctor or. No Coach Nitro. He's teaching me how to golf, and he says he can turn me into pro. We'll see about that. So I'm continuing to have these celebration wins.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Yeah.

Dr. Kirk Adams: That's great.

Sheldon Guy: Try not to hold it down. But I do have my tough days, and it's okay not to be okay. So for the listeners, my final thing for the listeners out there, it's okay not to be okay. And please, if you have a minute, just Google Sheldon, Guy, W5 and pivot. I will also email Doctor Adams a link for it as well, but please just Google W5. Pivot is a 22 minute documentary that you can watch and make sure you have some tissue.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Okay.

Dr. Kirk Adams: Well, Sheldon, it's snowing in the mountains right now, so there's there'll be good skiing for you. And it was just a pleasure to talk to you on podcast with Doctor Kirk Adams. For those of you listening, I look forward to next time. Take good care. Thank you. Sheldon.

Sheldon Guy: Thank you.

Podcast Commentator: Thank you for listening to podcasts by Doctor Kirk Adams. We hope you enjoyed today's conversation. Don't forget to subscribe, share or leave a review at WW. Together, we can amplify these voices and create positive change. Until next time, keep listening, keep learning and keep making an impact.