Chad shares his life-changing experience of surviving a severe table saw accident, the spiritual journey that followed, and lessons on safety, faith, and resilience. This episode highlights the importance of respect for safety protocols and the power of faith in overcoming trauma.
The Marion Miracle: Chad Stock's Journey of Survival
Chad shares his life-changing experience of surviving a severe table saw accident, the spiritual journey that followed, and lessons on safety, faith, and resilience. This episode highlights the importance of respect for safety protocols and the power of faith in overcoming trauma.
A gripping tale of faith, resilience, and the fight for life.
Good afternoon, folks. Welcome back to another episode of the Construction Cowboy Show. Today, we dive into a powerful story of survival and faith with Chad Stock, who experienced what has come to be known as the Marion Miracle.
The Incident
Chad's life took a dramatic turn on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024. While building a cabin in northwest Montana, he faced a near-fatal accident involving a table saw. He reflects on the mistakes that led to this moment:
"I am so guilty of when we would buy a piece of equipment, get all that safety crap off there. That stuff is there for a reason."
On that day, Chad was feeling rushed and frustrated, working alone when the saw caught his sweatshirt, leading to severe injuries. He vividly describes the shock of the moment:
"Experience does not make you invincible. I mean, in a second, I was in... the only two words I have to describe it is violent and humbling."
The Fight for Survival
In the chaos that followed, Chad's thoughts turned to survival. Struggling with severe blood loss, he had to quickly think on his feet, prioritizing shutting off heaters to prevent a fire:
Despite the pain and confusion, Chad's determination to survive fueled him. He recounts the desperate search for his keys, realizing they were out of reach as he fought to stay conscious.
A Spiritual Encounter
As Chad lay on the cold concrete, he entered a state of shock. In this moment, he felt a profound connection with God:
"It was like a warmth came over my body from my head to my toes, but not a temperature warmth. It was this comfort that came over my body."
This spiritual moment gave him the strength to rise again. Chad was able to retrieve his keys and phone, which ultimately led to his rescue.
Reflection
Chad Stock’s story is not just about survival; it’s about the lessons learned through faith, preparation, and resilience. For those in the construction industry, it serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety and mental preparedness.
If you're intrigued by Chad’s incredible journey and the insights he shares about overcoming adversity, I invite you to listen to the full episode of The Construction Cowboy Show.
Stay safe out there, and remember that every day in the field presents its own challenges.
Key Topics:
Chapters:
Introduction to Chad’s story and the accident
Chad’s background in construction and the day of the accident
Details of the accident and immediate reactions
The shock and pain of the injury
The moment of waking up and the spiritual experience
The recovery process and lessons learned
The importance of safety and respect for equipment
Spiritual reflections and the role of faith
Sharing the message and inspiring others
Final thoughts and contact information
Keywords:
safety, faith, resilience, accident survival, construction safety, spiritual journey, personal growth, safety protocols, overcoming trauma
Sound Bites:
Connect with Jeff Williams:
Contact: (307) 372-9052 O. (630) 973-6481 D.
Website: www.merchantcommodites.co
Email: Theconstructioncowboyshow@gmail.com
Email: Jeff@merchantcommodities.co
Email: JeffWilliamsConsulting37@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-williams-merchant-commodities/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559698873942
Alignable: https://www.alignable.com/sheridan-wy/merchant-commodities-llc?user=17404768
Jeff Williams (00:02.079)
Good afternoon, folks. Welcome back to another trail ride with The Construction Cowboy Show. your host, Jeff Williams, and today's episode is the Marion Miracle. and we have a very special guest today, Mr. Chad Stock, out of the great state of Montana. Chad is all about family, faith, and strength. fall found through community.
Chad's story today is of survival, faith, and purpose. You know around here we talk about people behind the work, their challenges, their lessons, and what helps them keep moving forward. If you spend your days building, fixing, cutting, or making things happen, you know how quickly an ordinary day can change. Today's guest lived through a moment that put everything on the line and faced the fight of his life.
Chad's story became known as the Marion Miracle. He now shares what he learned about faith, preparation, recovery, and finding purpose for after that pain. For everyone listening who works around equipment or leads people who do, there's a lot here to think about. Chad, welcome to the Construction Cowboy Show. I appreciate you sharing your story with us today.
Chad Stock (01:25.983)
Happy to be here with you, Jeff. I'm glad we could get this done.
Jeff Williams (01:29.087)
Yeah, I appreciate it. we'll just take our time with this and kind of pace it a little bit. But before we get into all that, about what happened at the cabin and and you know, the folks meet the man behind the walk into it and the man behind the situation. So Chad, what kind of work were you doing? What are you doing today and what did a normal day look like you like for you before everything?
Chad Stock (01:58.627)
Yeah, so I'm originally from northeast Iowa, and been out in Montana here about five years. a realtor with Keller Williams here in Whitefish. Well, my office is in Kalispell, Montana, but we're in Whitefish, Montana, kind of the north west corner of Montana. but I've been a general contractor, builder, remodeler over thirty years. I had a custom cabin shop in in Kansas City for twenty years, actually. That's so ironic about this whole accident happening on a on a table saw.
but I've been out here in Montana, like I said, about five years. This accident happened March 21st, 2024 on Easter of all days. I am a Christian, so it's it's I don't think there is any accident, no pun intended. This this happened on Easter. I was building a twelve hundred square foot cabin on a remote property here in in northwest Montana in the town of Marion. That's M A R I O N.
That's where the Marianne Miracle came from. And it was a cabin behind a home that was right on the lake. And that time of year we still snow on the ground and my kids were here the week before for spring break and I was just way behind, self employed, you know. And decided went to work Sunday afternoon and and I was just made so many so many mistakes that
Looking back, the the one thing for guys out there that are in construction, I'm telling ya, I am so guilty of when we would buy a piece of equipment, get all that safety crap off there. All of it's in the way. That stuff is is there for a reason. And you know, to think how I I lost respect for a second. So anyway, I'm inside the cabin, it's forty-five degrees out. so I have heaters going on inside the cabin. I'm working up off of two tiers of scaffolding about sixteen feet in the air.
And I was ripping some thicker material before on my table saw, my blade was up about two and a half inches, and had to rip some thinner material for some shimming and started ripping material and I mean so many things I was doing wrong. One, I was tired, I was frustrated, I was rushing, I wasn't thinking like I should. and then I had a heavy hoodie sweatshirt on and and
Chad Stock (04:23.126)
I've been around table saws 35 years plus. I I know better. And in just in a second, that table saw grabbed my sweatshirt and I saw that sweatshirt in my arm disappear into the table saw and cut me at the palm palm of my hand here, severed all of my lower ligaments, took an inch out of my artery and then moved two-thirds of the way down my arm. And
Yeah, I'm telling ya, experience does not make you invincible. I mean in a second. I was in it was actually shocking how quickly it happened. We know that the table saw did not turn off, because my handprints all over it trying to get it turned off, but you know, the pain that jolts your body, it's the only two words I have d to describe it is violent and humbling. And I I've I've
Been in sports. I wrestled my you know all the way up through high school in Iowa and and football and played rugby at a high level. I've had over twenty surgeries, you know, three hip replacements, knee. I mean, I've been through some stuff, but this was on a whole other level, man. And I I remember staggering back and you know, the amount of blood that's pulsating out of me is alarming. And I don't I'm trying to be sensitive here. I don't want to be too graphic, but I am losing I've hunted and fished.
Jeff Williams (05:29.971)
Yeah.
Jeff Williams (05:44.351)
Right.
Chad Stock (05:47.906)
Since I was 13. I mean, I know the amount of blood I'm losing is not good. And I'm on a dead end logging road, Easter Sunday, and the owners actually live in California. There are other homes around there, but there might be two or three people that stay there during the winter. And what's right behind me where the accident happened is a gated community. I don't even know the code to even get in, to even try the home if somebody's there. So I'm just in in the mode, and I talk a lot about.
So I've become a motivational inspirational speaker. And one of the things I talk about is how you react in a traumatic situation. Because most people think, like I'm up here, we get attacked by a bear, I'm gonna do this or that. But you don't know until you're in that situation. And I believe those tools you need in your tool shed are is how well you are mentally, physically, and spiritually. And those cause it's
Just your mechanics, how you react. Now, the first thing that came to my mind was heaters. I gotta get these heaters shut off before I get out of here. Before if I if I pass out and die, I'm gonna burn down this cabin. Now, in reality, one was a kerosene heater and and the other one was a propane space heater. They both would have shut off once they ran out of fuel. I mean, in reality, but that's all I was focused on. So I get the heater shut off. I I'm like, I gotta get out of here right now. Like n nobody's coming down this road.
Jeff Williams (06:58.227)
Yeah. Right.
Chad Stock (07:09.503)
I mean it's Easter Sunday. Like I gotta get out of here. make it to my truck, which is about fifty yards away. That's when I got to my truck and realized my keys and my phone were sixteen feet up on scaffolding and my truck was locked. And that was a
that makes you you're just your stomach drop. It was a very sickening feeling. So I turned my back to my truck and I actually slid down in my butt. And I was like, I am in serious trouble. I mean, I am watching my heartbeat pump out of me. And for me as a Christian, man, you start having conversations with God and I mean they're deep conversations. And during this whole process, I was a Christian before this accident happened, but
Jeff Williams (07:40.607)
Mm-hmm.
Jeff Williams (07:51.583)
During this whole process I was
Chad Stock (07:56.888)
I had two conversations with God that day, and the first one stays between me and him, but we had some deep conversations that I'm I'm in serious trouble here. I mean, my kids are back in Kansas City. They don't they don't they know where I'm at. They don't know not been there. My girlfriend at the time was in Salt Lake City. I mean, nobody's coming down this road, and I am in serious trouble. And with me growing up in Iowa, wrestling was such a huge drive of my life, and it's giving me I'd learn more from wrestling and Boy Scouts and probably anything, but
Jeff Williams (08:16.167)
Yeah.
Chad Stock (08:26.605)
I had to get up. I'd like I gotta get out of here. And and for me, I didn't want my kids to think I just quit. Like I just came to my truck, sat down and gave up. And and the amount of blood I'm leaving, and we have snow on the ground, they're gonna see my last step, my last crawl. I fought to the end, you know. So I'm like, I gotta get those keys. I don't remember getting back to the cabin. I remember I was right arm dominant and I remember with my left hand trying to get the doorknob open and my hands just covered in blood, just trying to get it open.
Jeff Williams (08:33.263)
But
Jeff Williams (08:51.743)
Mm-hmm.
Chad Stock (08:56.909)
So I get in there, I'm looking up that scaffolding and my arm is ripped wide open. All my forearm muscles, I mean, my arms, all my tendons look like spaghetti noodles. I mean, I'm not climbing that scaffolding, but there happened to be a green six-foot stepladder right there next to it. And the hood of my hoodie was just hanging over the edge. And I thought, if I can get my eight foot level or six-foot level, get up that ladder and get it into that hoodie, I can pull that thing off. So I remember climbing up the ladder. I remember having this weird feeling coming over my body.
And when I got to the top of the ladder, I went in the shock and I woke up on the concrete. my whole when I woke up on cold concrete, it was darker in the cabin. We know the accident happened between six thirty and six thirty-five due to a text message that was sent. And I I don't know what time it is now, but it's darker in the cabin. And my whole left side of my face hurt, and I realized later that I broke up tooth in two places when I hit the concrete. And I rolled over, and there's another
thirty, thirty-two inch pile of blood around me. And I'm like, I gotta get up. I gotta get out of here. If I lay here, I'm gonna die. And I'm just thinking like, how how can I get out of here? And it dawns on me, I my iPad. Now I'm thirty minutes from even remote cell coverage, but I had a Starlink out there so I could work and communicate. And I thought, iPad, if I can get out on my iPad, that's how I'm gonna get out of here. That's my out. So I I get up.
Jeff Williams (10:05.959)
Wow.
Jeff Williams (10:22.248)
Right.
Chad Stock (10:25.609)
I don't remember finding my iPad. We think it was on the scaffolding. Later we found it covered in blood because I was struggling with the iPad and I realized my battery was dead. And that was about as lonely feeling as I've ever had. Cause I am fighting, you know, like send somebody down this road, like help me out. And I'm really starting to plead to God because I can handle a lot of pain, but I'm I'm reaching my limit.
Jeff Williams (10:40.287)
Wow.
Chad Stock (10:55.047)
And then it was the most terrifying moment of my life. I realized the feeling that was coming back over my body was I was gonna go in the shock again. And that was the most scared I've ever been 'cause I know the amount of blood I've already lost and the odds of me waking up from that are not not great. So I go in the shock again for the second time. I wake up now and it's ten thirty at night. it's twenty eight degrees in the cabin, so it's a blessing I shut those heaters off.
you know, I have a lot of non believers like, Well, you shut those heaters off and that's what saved you, 'cause it cooled everything down, slowed everything down, right? It's God that saved me, I'm telling you. I woke up on the c cold concrete and it was pitch black and and I actually laughed out loud. I started laughing, which is so so crazy, right? Because as I'm laying there as a Christian, I'm like, I thought I was dead. I thought I was dead.
Jeff Williams (11:31.455)
Mm-hmm.
Jeff Williams (11:43.667)
Ha ha ha
Chad Stock (11:52.501)
And I'm like, this is heaven. Like, this is not in the brochure. Like supposed to be wrestling a grizzly bear or something. I mean, like but then I thought to myself, I'm not on fire. At least I'm not hot. Right. So I'm laughing to myself there. And and then the pain sets back in and I'm fully aware that I am still alive. And I'm four hours into this and I am I'm pleading with God at this point. Either take me away or take the pain away, because I am D U N, man.
Jeff Williams (11:52.958)
Well
Jeff Williams (12:02.527)
Crazy. Yeah.
chad Stock (12:22.058)
I'm like, just take me away or make this stop. And what came over me was what we call the Marion Miracle. It was such a spiritual thing that came over to me. It took me over, I mean, it took me months to even talk about what had happened, but it took me probably a year and a half to try to describe it. It was like a warmth came over my body from my head to my toes, but not a temperature warmth. I wasn't like physically getting warmer. It was this comfort that came over my body. And I had complete comfort.
I mean, my pain was gone. You know, I joke I wasn't gonna get up and go play pickleball, but I felt good. Like I I was at ease, you know, during the whole process I just kept telling myself, slow down, slow my breathing down, you know, slow my thought process down. But my whole life had been I got this, I'll fix this, I'll get this. But for me it was we, me and God, we got this, we're gonna get out of here. So I was able to get the ladder up, I was able to get the keys down, and and man, when those keys and phone hit that floor, it
Jeff Williams (12:54.259)
Wow. Great.
Right. Right.
Jeff Williams (13:10.579)
Yeah.
Chad Stock (13:20.53)
It's you drop keys on concrete right now, still makes my hair stand up in my neck. It just that sound of like we're getting out of here and make it to my truck. I'm struggling with my gear shifter 'cause it's a dial on the dash and I'm trying to do it with my left hand and get the windows down and I back out and I got about five miles to get to the highway, which is highway two. And now I have an hour and a half drive to the hospital. It's I'm remote ish, you know. it's
Jeff Williams (13:26.035)
Wow. Crazy.
Chad Stock (13:49.887)
It's Easter Sunday night. It's now it's approximately it's approximately maybe eleven o'clock by the time I get to the highway. There's nobody there's not a lot of people out here. I mean, there's only two gas stations and they're not manned. I mean they're closed. And so first call I call my son we yeah at midnight, switch with eleven o'clock here in Kansas City. And I said, hey bud, I got in a table saw and I'm on my way to the hospital. Just wanna let you know. And I woke him up and and I'm I'm telling I'm talking to him just like I'm talking to you right now. I have such ease.
And he's just like, Well, Dad, you know, you're doing what you need to do. You sound fine, you know. So my next call is to my girlfriend at time who's now become my fiancé. She was in Salt Lake City. She was actually going to be moving up here the weekend after. And I call her and we actually made a podcast about this whole thing. The first time I ever talked about my accident, I did it with my kids and and Michelle.
Jeff Williams (14:41.001)
Well, that's cool.
Chad Stock (14:42.284)
So I call her and that Sunday they have a big family dinner once a month. And I'm yeah, did everybody make it? There, yeah, did your mom make the ma mashed potatoes? Did you, you know, your brother make it? And we're six, seven, eight minutes into this phone conversation. And I said to her, I need you to sit down for a minute. And she didn't sit down, but she's like, What's going on? And I'm like, Well, I got my arm in a table saw and I'm on the way to the ER. Now she's losing her mind because she cannot put together the t calmness of my voice and what I'm describing to her.
It's not adding up to her. Like she, she's like, What? Now your arms ripped open and you're driving, you know? And and of course in Montana we have, you know, we always joke there's really bad cell reception, then there's Montana. I mean, it's horrible here, right? I mean I might as well get a pigeon. It's like horrible. So in and out of coverage. Of course, she's losing her mind, you know, but and I'm I'm talking to her and in and of course at this point I'm
Jeff Williams (15:25.524)
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Chad Stock (15:37.076)
I'm in it I'm out of coverage and I'm I'm just reflecting back on everything I've gone through. Like I'm gonna get to town. I got about another forty five minutes to an hour to go. And ding, my gas light comes on. I don't have enough gas to get to the hospital.
Jeff Williams (15:49.791)
Yeah.
Jeff Williams (15:53.747)
Just keeps coming at you, doesn't it?
Chad Stock (15:55.817)
I'm telling you, man, it was this one thing after now that we have extra pictures of me at at the gas station. Of course, nobody was working there, so I just paid at the pump. And what's really funny, I was giving a talk in Baton Rouge and I had I I love doing a QA after my talks. And an old boy in the back stood up and he's like, Did you fill that rig up? How much fuel did you put in that thing? And I'm like, buddy, it was I did not fill it up. I put enough gas to get to town, you know. So I finally got to town.
Finally got to the ER and actually some friends were right in front of me, which is really a God moment. Her name was Faith. And when I parked they you know, they got out and what's going on? And they saw my arm and they lost their mind, you know, and then they helped me get into the hospital. And then first surgery, you know, just cleaning it and trying to get blood flow back to my hand. And you know when the doctor came in the next day, he's like, There's no medical reason you should be here. I lost anywhere from thirty five to forty percent of my blood value.
Jeff Williams (16:49.661)
Yeah. Yeah.
Chad Stock (16:51.306)
In fact, we had to have a hazmat crew come and clean the job site. It it was it was a true miracle that that I'm alive and which turned into five year five surgeries in a year, off work for a year and and having to learn to do everything one handed or left handed. It's it's been quite the challenge. And that's one of the things I talk about in my speaking engagements. If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you. And this certainly was a challenge and it's changed my life forever.
So anyway, brother, so one of the promises I was made to God is if you get me through this situation that I would spend my life sharing my testimony, my story and and help motivated people. So that's what I'm here for today.
Jeff Williams (17:30.025)
Fantastic, fantastic, you know. fantastic that you've got a message behind and a life to tell it, right? But but you know, to go through something like that. you know, my question and again, got a thousand questions, but you've already answered most of them, you know, in a sense as you're going through there, but do you have a different definition of preparation after the accident and
You know, do you do you think a little bit different and you know, just yeah, again, w when you're talking to someone, especially in construction or anything, you know, just home home repair, you know, you you've got a you've got a great principle behind taking that second look, checking things second twice, you know, is that all that. But again, the question is definition of being prepared, has it changed since the accident for you? Yeah.
Chad Stock (18:25.697)
tremendously. Tremendously. and that's what I talk about. You know, it's experience does not make you invincible. And I just got too comfortable. I mean, thirty-five plus years on a table saw. You know, you you can't get in a position where you lose respect and you do that when you're too comfortable with something. You know, and and ironically, it's one thing I've that I'm actually shocked about this is due to this happened on a table saw, due to how it's changed my life, I reached out to SawStop. I'm sure you're familiar with their table saws.
Jeff Williams (18:54.399)
Mm-hmm. Yep.
Chad Stock (18:56.255)
Could not get them to work with me. And my fiancé the main like you guys are peanut butter and jelly, right? Like buy a saw. Let me tell you why, you know, and and just could not seem to get them to engage, which I was pretty shocked. But absolutely, man, those safety you know, guides and safety sensors kickback, they're on there for a reason. And you know, use a push stick because it takes a a second for it to change your life. So absolutely it's changed.
Jeff Williams (19:23.593)
Well, I I think it I think one of the things isn't, you I've got table saws and I've you know worked construction and and done all the things and and you know, even around heavy equipment. And you're right. You're absolutely a hundred percent right. we think we're at some age we reach a point with the experience that we've got it mastered and we know c and we're usually ninety nine percent of the time we're, you know, on top of it. But it's like they you said, it's that one time that sweatshirt or whatever know, or you don't have the guard on it and it catches you. But I think what I'm more you know, the accident is traumatic and and I know that you went through so tremendous fear and and and I what I think and what I hear in your voice, and here's where I want to drive down to this, is that, you know, one minute there's this fear, and sometimes the devil can step in with that evil fear of just, hey, I'm gonna die and this is my last breath and all this and you know.
And then you start flashing back through your life. And and I say that in that context. And then all of a sudden God warms your warms your spirit, right? That's you know, and and comes into that and and kicks that evil fear and that that that that that discontent and worry and and just, you know, again, I've I can't even describe it to be honest with you, 'cause I've, you know, never lived to do that. But all of a sudden you just you you're your calmness and I can even hear it in your voice. Your voice just reflects the calmness in that moment. And I think that's what's just spiritually just grand in this whole story. and your strength from that being calm and collective and and starting to realize that and yet all the obstacles, in other words, everything kept being thrown at you, you know, you couldn't get the keys, you couldn't get this, you the
Your iPad, I mean, and the truck running out of gas and all that other craziness, right? and yet you stayed strong with the fortitude of the man that you really are, that God has molded you in his image and and planted years ago of the strength that you have to walk out of that and live through that and now tell the story and and proclaim his glory. And I think that's just fantastic, Chad. Absolutely fantastic. So
Chad Stock (21:46.796)
Appreciate you saying that, brother. I look back at it and I feel like I was baptized in the pain of going through what I went through and and then finding the grace in it as well, because it's it's changed my life forever. You know, for the simple fact as a Christian, my we didn't force, you know, force it on our kids. My son accepted Christ at at fifteen, but my daughter had not yet. And then since my accident, she's, you know, decided to accept Christ.
I always say I'd I'd give my hand up again in a heartbeat for that. I mean, there's couldn't be anything more important to me. But you know, I got I know for a fact that God saved me for a reason. I believe in spiritual gifts and I know I've had the ability to one of my gifts is to be able to communicate and connect with people. And I think God put me through this situation that to give me this platform to try and reach out to and do that.
Jeff Williams (22:37.735)
Well, I think that and I'll say this, you know, there's so many heroes in the Bible, right? God's word is just used he's used some of the just different instruments in in in man, and the pain and the suffering and the agony that people have gone through and and you're one of those heroes and your story fits right into the biblical structure of God's, you know, picking someone
Chad Stock (22:50.655)
Mm-hmm.
Jeff Williams (23:05.727)
completely out of the blue and saying, Hey, he's gonna be my messenger from here going forward. And I'm gonna put him through a little bit of fear and pain and agony and let him get really close and let him touch what I'm actually preparing him for. And I just I I just think that's just extraordinary and and I'm glad you're alive. do what? Well, you know, I think that Yeah well, you know Yeah, yeah.
Chad Stock (23:23.019)
Well said the bar a little higher for me, brother.
You said the bar a little higher for me. You put don't put me in that group. But I just hey, I made a promise to God what I would do if He got me out of it. And you know, I'm here so I'm just doing my part of it, you know.
Jeff Williams (23:41.322)
Well, I I'm again when I saw your story and and you were kind enough to reach out to me and there must have been something, you know, catchy with the story in the show and I immediately thought, man, this is worth telling the whole world about and and we've got a great following and and we're in thirty-five, forty countries and and got a good show going and so it's not so much about construction and all the buzzwords and all the things about construction, but it is. It comes right back down to the core of safety.
And regulation and and I'll be real brief, I won't stay on this, but we I worked for a company on East Coast in Cape God and and there was a guy working on a job site and one of the crew guys and he didn't pay any attention to the safety rules, you know, and he kinda you know, they had all the safety guidelines and all that under OSHA and all those things. And he got up on a ladder by himself and fell off into the basement and died and killed himself and and it was just terrible, right? And the loss. But
Chad Stock (24:36.788)
Yeah.
Jeff Williams (24:39.635)
But because we think we can is when we think we can't. And sometimes it just happens that way so much. And so I've got so much here. I'd love to chat with you a little bit longer, but I don't want to also take up a lot of time. But is there anything else that you can add to going forward in your life and some of the remarkable things that you've done in your life to not so much put the story out there but just
You know, how you walk out your life now in today's you know, somebody sees you on the street, how do you view life with people and and non Christians and Christians and and anybody that you meet?
Chad Stock (25:19.156)
So I you know, I've been crazy blessed. you know, since so I mentioned I'm a realtor with Keller Williams. We they have their international they call it family reunion convention. And this last year was in Atlanta, and I was chosen as one of three speakers out of a hundred thousand people worldwide to share my story in front of fourteen thousand people. And it my life has dramatically changed since that point. I've I've had the chance, I've been in nine different states right now.
Reached twenty thousand people just since February. We have a tour coming up in Canada. that a deal in Philly. We have Vegas coming up and I'm doing going to Texas actually to speak to actually in Atlanta, the gentleman spoke after me. He oversees the rescue and recovery for the state of Texas and he was handling the Kerrville floods when they lost all those girls and that horrible situation. Well, we've become really good friends and he's invited me down for a talk in January to be able to speak to all the
Jeff Williams (25:54.727)
Very nice.
Chad Stock (26:18.216)
rescue and recovery and first responders for the state of Texas. So I'm super looking forward to that. But we've become good enough friends that he actually put in for a non-resident elk tag and got drawn. So he's actually going to come up. We're gonna hunt together the first week of November. So it'll be we're pretty excited about that. But you know, I'm just trying to reach as many people as I can. You know, our website is simple, the Marion Miracle dot com. That's the Marion M-A-R-I-O-N
Jeff Williams (26:32.755)
That's great.
Chad Stock (26:48.324)
M-I-R-A-C-L-E for the Marion Miracle. of course Facebook and Instagram. if anybody out there is interested in booking a you know, speaking engagement or talk to me about anything on their mind, please reach out to us through the the website and I'm sure you can add some links or something for us. But my life has is changed dramatically. I mean it it is I'm actually actually my son and I, we have a remodeling company now that we're just trying to phase out, to be honest with you. I'm just gonna stick with the real estate and
And public speaking. And I started writing a book, which is something I mean, I can barely read a book, so I never thought I would write a book. But it's been been we're probably about eighteen months or so from having that out, but not just of the accident, but my whole life prior to that is I had a pretty traumatic childhood and which gave me a lot of tools, I think, to to be able to survive what I went through. so that'll be called the Marion Miracle, but
Jeff Williams (27:38.707)
Well so so question for somebody listening who's facing an injury injury, you know, or maybe they're going through it right now at the hospital or whatever, or a business setback, or just a difficult chapter that they've had talk about, what do you say to them today and and how do you how do you address them with that kind of situation?
Chad Stock (27:57.717)
Sure. Be be proud that you're even in the fight. I mean, some challenges are are easier and and some are more difficult, right? But be proud you're at least in the fight. You know, for you know one huge challenge for me. I didn't record it, I didn't do it on Facebook Live or anything, but one year after my accident, I turned that table saw back on and ran some material through it. You know, that was that was a huge thing to overcome, right? We have these challenges in life.
Jeff Williams (28:21.255)
Well
Chad Stock (28:25.406)
You know, for us, you know, at the time I did not ha have health insurance. You know, so within a year, you know, we were over one point one million in debt. You know, so there's a financial challenge, you know. But so I guess let me let me what I'm trying to say is, you know, we went through, we liquidated our house, sold all of our trucks, my Harley, I mean, we liquidated everything, but it always could be worse, right? You know, we we end up moving into a camper in northwest Montana.
It's I mean it stopped going through a winter in a camper, but it would at least we're not in a van down by the river under the bridge. Right? Like we we still it's all in how your attitude and how you look at life, right? When the doctor came in, I call him big R, Doctor Rogers. he came in and talked to me about, you know the situation. One, you shouldn't be here. Two, you're more likely gonna you lose seventy five to eighty percent usability of your hand. Those are those are just the facts.
And my response was, well, I'm gonna show you what I can do with the 10 or 15 or 20 percent I do have. Right? There's two ways you can look at it. You know, if you want to get under my skin, come at me with poor me. Nobody's ever heard me ever complain about, I think this sucks, this happened to me. It happened for a reason. Deal with it. It is what it is, make the best of the situation. And just be proud you're even in the fight. I mean, some people are you know, it's emotionally, physically,
Jeff Williams (29:29.631)
Yeah.
Chad Stock (29:51.01)
worse yet, spiritually, just be proud you're even in the fight. Sometimes those challenges take longer than than you want. So just just be proud you're in the fight.
Jeff Williams (30:01.213)
Well you know, it yeah, absolutely. You know, it that's just being alive to be in that fight is pretty amazing. And you know, here's the thing is that you're you're alive and I don't want to discount any of that. Could've went the other way, really, you know, for the most tragic thing and left your son and your family and your fiancé and all those things, with empty hearts. But and but you also could have cut off the arm. You didn't. you may be a little bit limited in mobility because of all the damage, but you didn't lose the limbs and and things of that nature. And so I think it's you came out of it whole in in in in so many ways and so much much better than what it was. And so one of the things is that you know everybody here listening what would you say to them about getting up tomorrow morning when they head out to work and what would you say to them
You know, they get up and they go to work and, you know, they're in the routines and they're crazy and, you know, they're they're not stopping to think about what could be or what could happen. But what would you say to 'Cause you have you you've been right at that point.
Chad Stock (31:14.949)
Mm-hmm. You know, it's one of the things I bring up in my speaking engagements. I hope every individual out there can have that deep of conversation with themselves that I did, not in that traumatic of a situation, but to really have a deep conversation on who you are, you know, what you're doing with your life. You know, I get a lot of people so I've opened myself up to a little bit of life coaching, which looking back, I've done most of my life and it usually would well, mostly all with men.
But you I have a lot of guys that, you know, I don't know what I should be doing. I don't have a purpose in life. What what should I do? And I ask you to turn that around and not ask what you should do, but who should you serve? Be a person of value, brother. If you live a valuable life to those around you, you'll have a much more enjoy, an enjoyable life. You know, stop focusing. You know, we do live in such a selfish society right now. You know, you you gotta be a person of value versus a person of success. There is a huge
Jeff Williams (32:06.025)
Yeah, yeah. For sure.
Chad Stock (32:11.956)
huge difference. To get up and just do the work. That's the biggest thing. You got to do the work. You know, the life coaching I do, I have a very short patience. I mean, I'll give you one pass and maybe two. If you're not going to do the work, then I'm not taking your money because you're not, if you don't do the work, you're not doing the work. It's not worth my time. You know, get up and get after it.
Jeff Williams (32:34.461)
Fantastic. So I kinda lost my train of thought here just listening to you because I'm so engrossed in your your you know, your dialogue. So yeah, yeah, yeah.
chad Stock (32:41.181)
You know, I then let me jump in a second while you were thinking about that. I wanna go back talking about, you know, losing limbs on this whole situation. One of the number one questions I get asked is did I put a tourniquet on? And it never crossed my mind. It never crossed my mind. And and that's why, you know, in this situation, there's areas I I thought I did really well in how I acted, and areas I could have done much better. Now, with that being said, now I had big electrical zip ties there. I could have pretty easily got a tourniquet on.
Jeff Williams (32:46.867)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jeff Williams (33:08.659)
Yeah.
chad Stock (33:10.237)
Now there's a lot of ands and buts in that. If I would put a tourniquet tourniquet on, then how would I when would I got to the hospital? Right. I understand that. If I my doctor told me if I would have put a tourniquet on at 6:35 when the accident, if I would not make it to the hospital to midnight, I would have lost my entire arm. Because the flow the entire blood flow would have been cut off the whole way. That's why I think God stepped in and like turned the heaters off, right? But I did not inject them either to to put a tourniquet on.
So is this one of those things I get asked every time? It unfortunately I'm almost embarrassed to say it did not cross my mind. But overall it's been a blessing. But go ahead, brother.
Jeff Williams (33:45.704)
That's amazing. Well, you have plenty of other things to think about in the in the midst of that and and trying to get the keys and and all that kind of stuff. So well in and I'm gonna kinda ask a different question here in regards to out of this out of out of this whole story and and episode and your life shifting and changing, are there certain charities or foundations that you are really engaged in and that you'd like to put a plug out there for and and look, man, I'm all about I'm all about giving and
Chad Stock (33:49.881)
Yeah.
Chad Stock (34:12.596)
Absolutely.
Jeff Williams (34:15.305)
You know, helping others and moving forward and paying it forward and paying it backwards and paying it all sideways. You know, I'm just kinda crazy with that.
Chad Stock (34:22.949)
Absolutely, brother. I'm a huge on paying it forward. And it's absolutely KW Cares. And if people are not familiar with that, it's part of it's kind of under the umbrella of Keller Williams, but it's a fund and grant system out there for agents that have hardship. And agents out there can just automatically donate you right after your transactions, you can you can put into it because they were tremendous in my life. part of going to the family reunion is is I was nominated as the KW Care's champion.
Jeff Williams (34:28.296)
Okay.
Chad Stock (34:52.859)
I mentioned we were over one point one million in debt. So we were struggling. I mean, it was a struggle. And for them to step in with a grant was a tremendous help to my to my family. So my heart will always be with KW cares for sure.
Jeff Williams (35:08.243)
Well, all those things are and you talk about community and all those things and how that was so important to you and that's just again, I'm glad you brought that example up and and again we'll try to get that in the in the transcript and things of that nature, on the link and everything. So I'll be up with that. So it's been a pleasure. and I won't take up a whole lot more of your time, but it's been a pleasure and honor to have you on the show and
Chad Stock (35:33.043)
Pleasure's mine, brother.
Jeff Williams (35:34.215)
you know, if there's any last word that you'd like to leave and then I'll kinda close with it. But I'll leave it to you to again share your contact information. We'll put it out there, put it on the websites and I'll do the social media posts and all those things. You'll see that. But I'm gonna get the message out. So
Chad Stock (35:50.451)
I would say reach Yeah, just reach out, man. If you have a question or about my faith or the accident or how I survived this and and I went through and still go to a PT PTD PTSD counselor and actually what they call a a big T, which is a big trauma. And and that was been a big part of my therapy getting through this. it, it's challenging, especially for men out there, but please reach out. So it's the Marion Miracle dot com.
And then Chad Stock, the Marion Miracle, on Facebook and Instagram. please follow on this journey and and would love to hear from you guys. And I appreciate your time, Jeff.
Jeff Williams (36:25.551)
Absolutely. And and I'm not rushing you off, but I do have one last little bit, is that is there i and and I don't expect anybody to know this or not know it, but is there any particular scripture that sticks with you and that you just, you know, kinda like wake up in the morning or you know, again it's your scripture. I'll just say it that way.
Chad Stock (36:43.965)
Mark 5:36 Do not be afraid, only believe. And that's what got me through this whole situation. It do not be afraid, only believe. You know, and it it's about having a positive mindset no matter what situation. If what everybody's got trauma in their life. I call it DTS, but not Donald Trump syndrome, right? It's drama and trauma. We all have it in your life on on some level. And and how you attack that is
Jeff Williams (36:49.917)
Fantastic.
Jeff Williams (36:57.437)
And again.
Jeff Williams (37:06.099)
Yeah. Yeah.
Chad Stock (37:13.809)
It's so important. It if you have a negative mindset, how in the world can you expect a positive outcome? Right? Like if I'm sitting in my truck bleeding there and I'm like, well, I'm never gonna make it. And you know, I wouldn't be here today. It's about keeping that positive mindset. It always could be worse. It is what it is. Do the best you can in the situation. And I I just feel blessed to be able to Pardon me?
Jeff Williams (37:21.287)
Yep, absolutely. Yeah.
Jeff Williams (37:35.059)
You know, it's amazing how Go ahead. No, go ahead, I'm sorry.
Chad Stock (37:39.931)
I just feel blessed to be able to share this with you today. I know we've been trying to get this coordinated, so it's awesome we got this done.
Jeff Williams (37:42.983)
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. It's a great, great, great show. And you know, it you know, we always hear about don't stop, keep going, be persistent or be be be perseverance and all those things. And we hear that in sales and you know, you're in real estate and you get all these motivational type things. But coming from a perspective of almost death and knowing that you gotta have the strength to keep moving forward and through that, it's a that's a
That's just a different story, different dialogue and everything else. And so but again I'm so glad it ended the way it ended. and it's there's still a journey, absolutely. So yep. All right. So it's great, having you.
Chad Stock (38:21.929)
Me too, brother.
Jeff Williams
I'm Jeff Williams, and this is The Construction Cowboy Show.
Until next time, keep your boots on solid ground. Look out for your crews and leave enough daylight for people who matter, and
Happy Trails until We meet again folks.
Bye for now!.
Chad Stock (38:52.273)
Take care.