About me
Tyler Smith has no memory of the worst day of his life, something the 26-year-old considers “a blessing in disguise.” On April 6, 2018, Tyler and his junior hockey team, the Humboldt Broncos, were on their way to a play-off game when a semi-truck struck their bus. He lost 16 of his teammates, staff members, and coaches, while he and 12 others survived. After he physically recovered, Tyler returned to the Broncos. He made it back for ten games, and although his body felt fine, his mental health was starting to catch up with him. Tyler didn’t feel like himself and knew he needed to step away from the game and prioritize his mental recovery. He has made progress with his recovery, but the battle that Tyler is facing is an ongoing one – some days are better than others, and some will always be challenging, but he now feels better equipped to handle the difficult moments when they come. Public speaking was never something that Tyler imagined himself doing, but it’s now one of his true passions in life. He has seen the value of sharing his story and of hearing personal stories from others, which is why he is so passionate about sharing his story and being a mental health advocate. Tyler will dive deeper into the his personal relationship with strength and struggle and the many misconceptions he had previous to embracing his own mental health journey. Tyler likes to take things day-by-day, but he knows that he wants to continue public speaking, advocating for mental health, and sharing his stories with those who may need it.
