The Domino Effect of Making Hard Decisions

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“I’m no doctor, but I think the wine helped.”- Stamatis Moraitis

This is not an untold story. Newspapers, researchers, journalists, and by the time that you read this, I have written about Mr. Moraitis’ story. A story of a man who got stronger when he “should” have been getting sicker. We will refer to Stamatis as Mr. M.

The American dream

Mr. M was born in Ikaria, Greece—an island in the Aegean Sea, about 30 miles off the coast of Turkey and also known as a Blue Zone. Picture this, ocean blues snuggled up to linen-clean whites, the sun rising from behind mountains that appear as though they are carved into the sky; it shines down on an iridescent blue-green sea, you hear the rustling of the leaves of olive trees and feel a warm breeze.

Snap!

Hey, I was dreaming...

Back to reality.

Mr. M was a Greek war veteran who found his way to the United States for treatment of an injured arm in 1943. He settled up in New York and eventually settled down in Florida. He found a job and a great woman, got married, and had three children. It was an ideal replica of the American Dream.

Turn the ship around

In 1976, in his mid-60s, Mr. M was diagnosed with lung cancer and given 6 to 9 months to live. He had a choice to either stay in America, receive treatment, and eventually pay for a funeral, which was far too expensive when compared to the cost of a funeral back in Ikaria, or he could leave the US and move back to his motherland. He decided, as much as he loved America, it was time to say Αντίο. He and his wife moved back in with his parents in a small house on the island. He was back in the place where he started his life, and where it would end, but not so fast.

After 6 months in Ikaria, he didn’t die, instead, he felt stronger. After 9 months, the time the doctors told him his grave would be dug, he felt even stronger. The only digging going on was the digging he was doing in his vegetable garden. He stayed up late, woke up late, spent time working outside, playing games with friends, and drinking wine daily. This went on for about 36 years.

Woa-ohhhh! I wasn't expecting that.

It gets better.