We’re all prone to do it. When we meet someone new, we almost always identify ourselves by what we do. We are a student, a CEO, a parent, an electrician. We often find our identity in the tasks that make up our lives. That was certainly true for Greg Bugbee. From an early age, he was a “do-er”– an entrepreneur who enjoyed having his hand in multiple projects.
One of Greg’s passions was music. He was a talented musician who toured around the world. But when he married and began having children, he made the decision to stop touring and find ways to support his family. His entrepreneurial gifts helped him start multiple businesses that enjoyed success. He launched a DJ business, a garbage hauling company, and served on staff as a worship pastor. He found great satisfaction in all of his work and he was always busy.
Then, almost overnight, his life changed. While he was working at a wedding one night, he began to feel ill. He was so sick he had to call a friend to help him get home. A visit to the doctor suggested he might have a serious case of the flu. But after more than a week of feeling miserable, his wife insisted he go to the emergency room. This time the diagnosis was much more serious.
The doctors determined that he had suffered severe kidney damage and he was septic. If he’d waited another day to go to the hospital, he might not have survived. Unfortunately, the damage to his kidneys was irreversible.
Several months later he was walking to feed the fish at a pond near his home. Suddenly he began experiencing severe pain. Friends took him to the hospital where he learned he’d had a massive heart attack. Another lengthy stay in the hospital, 3 failed attempts at bypass surgery, and Greg found himself living with 15% kidney and heart function. The man who had always been a “do-er,” was no longer able to find his identity in what he did.
Hear Greg’s inspiring story in Chapter 42 of Epic.