Through the din of winding guitar, staccato bass, and a strong backbeat, Robb Nash was introduced to the J.H. Kerr School secondary student body on the morning of Jan. 28. He took to the gym’s makeshift stage in a flurry and began to immediately build a rapport with his audience. Upbeat and playful, Nash began doing impressions of cartoon and television personalities, but from the earlier intro it was apparent issues of a more serious nature would be discussed here today.
Nash gleefully begins his story and everyone is smiling along with him until they realize it really isn’t the type of story that makes one smile. At the age of 17, he and a few friends were out for a joyride when they passed a car while speeding on an icy highway. They hit a semi head-on. Miraculously, three of the boys survived with just superficial injuries; however, Nash was severely injured. He lost a portion of his skull and actually died at the scene. He was revived and had a titanium plate put in his head, but the prognosis was not good. Doctors felt if he ever did awaken from his coma, he would be seriously brain damaged. He did awaken three months later and regained his memory; however, his recall of the accident and the time shortly before it were completely erased.
He couldn’t do much for himself for that first while and he went through a very dark personal time as a result. He admits to feeling anger, self-doubt and depression; all combined at times. He cringed when people dropped those “try to make you feel better” clichés, like “I guess this is your fate,” or “Robb, everything happens for a reason!” “Even though people mean well when they say this, it does more damage than good,” said Nash. “Things don’t happen for a reason, but things happen with potential. My accident had the potential to leave me angry and bitter for the rest of my life, or I could turn things around and use my story to try and help others.”
Nash says that he has seen with his own eyes and heard the stories of people who didn’t make it through tragic events. He doesn’t know why he got a second chance and certainly doesn’t feel that he did anything to deserve it. Realizing there aren’t many who go through what he did and get a second chance, he decided that he would stop being angry and do something with his life … something that mattered.
He began by phoning the driver of the semi that hit him and having an extended conversation with the man. He found that the driver believed he’d killed Nash and, on medication for depression, hadn’t driven since the day of the accident. Nash assured the driver that it was his fault and said that he could feel the weight of responsibility being lifted from the man. Two people were made whole again by that phone call and it began Nash’s journey to where he is today.
It was noted at this event, as well as on Nash’s website, that “through personal stories, song, and video, Nash sensitively deals with serious issues including drug and alcohol addiction, bullying, self-harm, depression, and suicide. He inspires youth to stay hopeful, recognize their unique strengths and make positive choices.
“Nash and his band tour across Canada performing more than 150 concerts each year in schools, detention centres, First Nations communities and other venues. For each of the past three years, the Robb Nash Project has presented live to over 50,000 young people. Nash also stays connected to his audience through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and his website.”
The musician says that he wants to tell his story to kids so that they don’t have to die before they live like he did. He basically gave up a promising music career in order to carry his message to the people who need to hear it and he doesn’t charge anything from those he performs for. Everything in his show from the guitars to his amazing tour bus is donated by benefactors who see the value of his message.
Those who wonder how many he really reaches with that message need only to have sat through his JH Kerr presentation. The young people hung on his every word. He was real, he spoke with emotion; he talked about things that affect and bother us all, but most of all – he’d been to some very dark places and made it back whole. Nash spoke of the epidemic of teen suicide and how young people should choose the words they speak to one another. What is acceptable to one could pierce the very soul of another. He talked about teens who have heard his message and approached him afterwards, handing over suicide notes that they had prewritten. About those who heard his words and decided to end long histories of self-abuse, contacting him months later to show arms that hadn’t felt the slice of a razorblade since his talk.
Nash lives by several mottoes; one – “Just for today” – is very important to him. It means that one should try to live their life one day at a time and that anyone can stop doing things that cause harm for a single day; it is when they look at it over a life long-term that things get complicated. Another is – “If pain doesn’t go away, either does strength” – meaning that people can always muster the strength to meet and beat back pain. Finally, “Wake up and be available to do something for someone.” Nash says that by becoming more attentive to the needs of others, we stop focusing on ourselves and our problems become miniscule.
Nash’s music was enjoyed by all in attendance and his message was in a sense, music to this crowd’s ears. He did an extensive question-and-answer session after the performance and urged anyone in the gym with problems to talk to him afterwards.
