I had Ryan Vandervlis on the podcast today, and his story hit hard. Born and raised in Red Deer, Ryan chased his hockey dream through the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes until a devastating campfire accident in 2018 left him with 60% burns, skin grafts, a tracheostomy, and a long physical recovery. What followed was an even tougher mental battle—depression, a manic episode, suicidal ideation, and the crushing loss of his hockey identity—that nearly broke him in Montreal. Therapy became his turning point, teaching him the power of vulnerability, education around trauma, and disciplined lifestyle habits. Now pursuing psychology himself, Ryan founded the Ignited Minds Foundation to subsidize therapy for young people (25 and under) dealing with recent trauma. We talked hockey culture, the pressures athletes face, and why sharing these stories matters. Ryan’s resilience is inspiring, and I’m glad we could highlight his important work.
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