Journey: Summary – A note from Chris Stewart

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Bret and I crossed paths a few years ago.  I quickly realized that although we came from different worlds, we had very similar interests and childhood adventures.  Family, friends, football, first responders, and giving back to our community hold great importance to us.

My wife Elizabeth and I met in a pre-requisite nursing class and graduated together in 1998. I have always worked in the Emergency Department and my wife, in NICU. Our two amazing children, Ashley and Harrison always knew what they wanted to do when they grew up. Ashley works as a dental hygienist while raising her two children along with her husband Stephen.  Our son Harrison works for the Arizona Department of Public Safety as a Trooper. Harrison and his wife Jenna just had their second daughter. My wife and I are so blessed!

Bret and I decided on this friendly wager for the first football game of the season. My team, the Buffalo Bills, lost. Because I lost, I had to purchase and wear a Bret Michaels t-shirt for 2 weeks straight. I decided to have some fun with this as working in healthcare at this time is unprecedented and difficult. I love my job and I love caring for people, however, this pandemic has taken a toll on healthcare workers. I and this shirt have traveled between work, home, my children’s homes, and the beach of California.  The other part of the bet included me having to send a daily picture to Bret.  I admit that wearing this shirt initiated several different conversations with random strangers. All enjoyable, making with friendly wager even more fun!

After the two weeks were up, I came home from work exhausted and stripped down in the garage as not to bring contaminated clothes into the house. The last picture I sent was of my shirt and scrubs strewn on the floor. That picture was symbolic of what we as healthcare workers are feeling most days. That being said, I wouldn’t choose any other career over this one! We in healthcare are not heroes, we are doing our job. We were doing it before the pandemic and we will be doing it after the pandemic. All I can ask is that people be kind to each other and try to find joy in their life. Even if that is just wearing a t-shirt for 2 weeks with the name of a very kind man on it, who I am blessed to call my friend, who just so happens to be famous.

Bret and I were talking and we decided it would be great to auction off the t-shirt to donate to a local healthcare charity. Read the press release here. Look for the auction at MichaelsNation.com later today.