2 years ago my family and I had one of the scariest things that could happen to a family, happen. I was hunting when I had to be rushed to the hospital and then air lifted to UofM for emergency open heart surgery, I had a Type A Aortic dissection. To say I’m lucky to be alive is an understatement to say the least, and well for the most part I’ve bounced back pretty well after my open heart surgery. Last year was a struggle mentally and physically. First thing is, Im not even “supposed” to be hunting with a compound bow anymore. But I had so many ups and downs, I had to learn to cope with my “new” body, just from being afraid to climb back up in a tree stand, to wondering if deer could hear my artificial valve clicking faster with excitement as they got closer. I missed the same buck two different times, with my new chest and my old bow, my accuracy took a dive, on a target when I didn’t have to hold back long I was good, in the field was a different story. My morale was gone, I was ready to give up and go to a crossbow, but I really couldn’t let myself do that. So fast forward to this year I spent good money on a new bow with some amazing let off and it all finally came together! I was very fortunate to take the deer on the left that I hunted hard for and played cat and mouse with for almost a month, we had a lot of history this season. And the one on the right 24 hours later chasing a doe. Now I know they’re not the biggest or the oldest but I don’t really care, these were so much more than just a deer to me. They represent way more than that, they represent my mental and physical battles over the last two years, the ups and downs, the drive I had to never throw in the towel and give up on my passion which is compound archery hunting. They are also my first two deer with a bow since my open heart surgery on Oct 14 2018.