I just got done watching this YouTube video, and I have to be honest, it made me kinda teary eyed.  I wanted to share it with you and maybe even ask you to spend 25 minutes and watch it yourself, really watch it, for a couple of reasons (after you read this). I think this Shay Carl guy is an inspiration, and I’m so glad I’ve actually been able to watch him over the years and I pray to God that I might be able to be as proud of myself someday as he seems to be of himself, because he should be.  He’s an inspiration for many reasons.

I’ll quick explain the premise: Shay has been putting out a daily vlog (called the SHAYTARDS) surrounding his life and family for past couple years and so this video has much of the several hours leading up to the event.  Its all good stuff, but I think really from the 11:20 point on is where it hit me most as it follows his wife and family running and catching up with him at various points during his race.

This guy was fat and overweight and goofy; I started watching him years ago because he was funny.  That was his shtick; fat and funny and he got popular on YouTube because of it.  But as he posted videos each and every day, I got to “know” him, well, as much as you can know a guy watching a few minutes of him and his family on YouTube every few days.  And I got to really like him, or more accurately look up to him for so many more reasons.  It became less about how goofy he could be, but instead more about his charisma, his love for his family, his awesome relationship with his wife, his ambition to try something new and not be afraid to change jobs, uproot his family, and take risks and do what he loves, his determination to get out of debt, and obviously, the most outwardly facing characteristic, finally lose the weight.

The daily vlogs have shown how much he loves and values his family.  Sure, I know no family is perfect and they probably have their fair share of bad times and arguments but its about minimizing those bad times.  But as I’ve watched things in these videos over the years, there is no way you could fake it, that good and for that long.  I look at him and his wife, Katilette, and yearn to have that type of relationship.  They support each other, root for each other, and most importantly laugh with each other and its wonderful to watch.  It was amazing to watch the video when they declared themselves debt free (to Dave Ramsey of course) just over a year ago… not only was it awesome to see them finally succeed in their financial goal, but you could see the deep love for each other, it was beautiful.  I also admire the way he stands up and represents his religion.  He is Mormon, makes no secret about it to his fans, but also doesn’t press any of his views or opinions on others and respects and loves others and their opinions.  He genuinely loves others.  And further, with moving to California with his family, where it might be easy to get caught up in the more liberal lifestyle and let some of their family-values suffer, he has made it a point to ensure his kids continue to be brought up in their faith.

Over the years he struggled with his weight, as can be seen very publicly as it was well documented in his videos.  I could see he was a normal guy, with all the same struggles everyone else has.  Fighting with working up initiative & drive, wrestling procrastination, etc were all things you could see him work through.  But he finally was able to get it together and do it, and it culminated with this video of him completing the LA Marathon.  It was awesome to watch, especially if you’ve seen many of the videos leading up to it with him losing weight and actually training for it.  But the video does an awesome job, especially towards the end, showing you the things he said years ago when he was heavy, the struggles he faced, and what he wanted to do…. and he finally did it.  And I’m proud of him.  And seeing how proud his wife was of him was beautiful and touching and I can only hope to have someone that proud of me someday.

I hope not someday, but today, I can have the inspiration and determination that Shay Carl Butler does and be able to set and achieve my goals the way he seems to be.  To love his family with everything he has, to not be afraid to try new things, to have the drive to get up every morning and work hard at each and every thing you do because it could be your last so you need to make the best of it.

So I say thanks to Shay Carl for everything he’s done.  Some may think its small, and I guess in the grand scheme of things, it is…all he’s really doing is living his life.  But he’s a great example to others that if even a few men (and women) can aspire to also be, the world will be a little better off because of him.