bigmoose saved my life – moosey boy – ring that bell

as my eyes met the young girl visiting our office yesterday, i noticed a sparkle, and a huge smile.

dressed in a brown tee shirt and jeans, her face shone with happiness, and as we walked toward the office where emily and i were going to be chatting to her about the possibility of the business where she worked working with us, she laughed out loud, a very infectious laugh.

we sat on the grey ikea couches, practical but not luxurious, and the conversation flowed freely, as the wind gently rustled the trees outside the open windows.

our offices are beautiful.

as we chatted about each others businesses, i enquired what had prompted her visit, to which she replied she was a graduate.

the term we use when somebody that comes through our system and is ready to stop therapy.

they graduate.

“wow, ok, that’s cool” i replied, now forming a more in depth understanding of the person sitting opposite me.

we chatted more about her journey, and she was extremely open and transparent, and we explained that our day had started extremely well, with us being told we had saved a life, and that we rang the bell just to her left to signify another life saved.

i saw her thinking about this, and eventually she slowly said, “you need to add another one on your total, as you saved my life too.”

i cannot describe the electricity that was in the room, and emily and i discussed it after the meeting, agreeing how incredibly powerful and emotional the moment was.

now, i have had an idea for a campaign where we get people who we have saved, who are willing to talk to a camera, to tell a brief story of their journey, and end up with a shot of them looking into the camera and saying “bigmoose saved my life”.

in my head it sounds powerful, but it might possibly not work, but here was an opportunity to see if it was as strong as i hoped it could be.

i very sensitively asked if she might be willing to share her story, and was met with 100% positivity to the idea.

emily, unaware of this being a possible outcome to our meeting, slid into video director mode, getting a camera and microphones set up.

and action.

i asked questions, which were answered with honesty, and with elements of pathos, and i took great care in making sure not to trigger this brave young woman.

she seemed extremely strong though, so i told her about my idea of speaking into the camera, and saying “bigmoose saved my life” and she replied “of course”.

the camera was recording, and she slowly turned towards it, and in the seconds it took for her to turn, it felt like her whole body changed, as if she knew the power of what she was doing, the consequences of saying these four words.

emily watched, spellbound.

“bigmoose saved my life.”

she said it with an energy and passion that hit me in the chest, and i started to choke up.

i looked at em, and she felt it too.

it was obvious.

“thank you, that was awesome.” i spluttered, holding back the tears.

“no problem, thank you” she replied.

as emily came back into the room after escorting our 162nd life saved to the lift, we both looked at each other and said ‘wow’.

that was so amazing, and we sat in silence, letting the moment wash over us.

after we had calmed down, and composed ourselves, we headed back to the office where the rest of the team were.

we regaled our story, and delighted the girls with the second life saved in the day.

“have you spoken to lou?” chloe asked.

“no, what’s up lou?” i enquired.

“i just had a conversation with a new monthly giver, and they told me they were a graduate, and a life saved.”

“wow, no way, what an incredible day”

the emotions were high, and the atmosphere was supercharged with energy, i had never had a day like this.

i sat at my desk, trying to decompress, and take in what had happened.

when gemma called, beckoning me to her desk.

“we’ve just had some feedback from a client, and it’s another life saved!”

“no way, that’s four in a day, and it’s only 1.30, what a day!”

i felt a little numb, and spent the next couple of hours, trying to focus and work, but the magnitude of what had happened interrupted my concentration.

four lives saved in a day.

so, moosey boy, when you and i sat together, you in bed, and me on the edge of the bed, and we laughed and joked at this being the last time we would have together, and it was to be the last time i saw you alive, i hope you can see what we’re doing, i hope you can see every time we tell the story behind bigmoose, and i hope you are proud of the impact your dying has had on me, and the world.

this week i heard an expression that said “people die twice, once when they die, and once when you say their name for the last time”

moosey boy, i ain’t ever gonna stop saying your name.

rest in peace, and with a smile at what your legacy is.

loved you like a brother.

blue skies,

jeff