These are hard ones to write and even more challenging ones to record. My dad was such a big believer in this show and in this work. On the eve of the publication date for our next episode of Roll On, Cole Paton, we tragically and unexpectedly lost my father.
In the wake of this huge loss, we've had to pump the brakes on the show. We've got some big names and episodes in the pipeline, but the podcast has been on hold. This is my attempt to jump back in the saddle and bounce forward, much like the 'Dear Momma' episode I recorded last fall after suddenly losing my mom, this one is a tribute to my dad. It's raw, it's real and it's vulnerable. In this recording I share a letter I wrote my dad, since there was no opportunity to say 'goodbye' along with the obituary I crafted for him.
My dad was the embodiment of what it looks like to Be Audacious and to live the BA Way. He was our Eddie Aikau, a waterman that would always go and would always encourage others to 'Go for it."
If more people lived like my dad, our world would be far less messed up and far more authentic and true. He was all about what is just, right and verdant. He was unafraid, unapologetic, unabashed, always showing up for those he loved, a fighter (metaphorically and physically, truly a fighter, a street fighter and boxer who wouldn't hesitate to haul off and cold cock someone who deserved it). He was never one to get caught up worrying about what others thought of him. He stayed true to the end. And he was a man that was dealt far more than most, a stoic, resilient and courageous fighter and lover. To walk his path, you had to develop fortitude, resilience and mental endurance, so my work, as a mental endurance coach is literally a tip of the hat to my dad and all that we've been dealt.
I'm proud of this obituary I wrote for my pop's. Hope you enjoy
Stephen Michael Leach's obituary
And here's one with some additional pictures
https://everloved.com/life-of/stephen-leach/obituary/
I know this one won't be for everyone, so feel free to take a pass, as my dad would say, if you've got a problem with it, "All the way up with a red-hot-poker'. But for those who knew him, those who loved him, for me, for Kamiah and Amanda, for our family and friends, and for anyone of you wanting to live the BA Way, wanting to throw off the shackles of societal norms, this story of a street fighting man, may just give you a lift and inspiration.
Website: beaudacious.com
Michael’s Instagram: @michaelleachba
Show’s Instagram: @thebounceforward
Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: https://beaudacious.com/coaching/
