No Days Off: My Life with Sort 1 Diabetes and Journey to the NHL

One of many NHL’s most gifted younger stars shares his inspiring coming-of-age story about following his desires after being recognized with sort 1 diabetes.

“Max, you’ve gotten sort 1 diabetes,” the physician mentioned.

My mother and I checked out one another. For her, time stood nonetheless for a second as our total future as a household shifted. However I had no clue what the analysis meant. So I mentioned the very first thing that got here to thoughts.

“Can I nonetheless play hockey?”

As a child, when Max Domi was requested what he wished to be when he grew up, he solely ever had one reply: a hockey participant. Rising up the son of knowledgeable hockey participant, Max noticed from an early age what it took to make the NHL: grit, expertise, and the assist of a staff. Over numerous hours within the storage, on the rink, and within the health club, Max chased his dream. It appeared that Max was born to be on the ice.

However then, when he was twelve years previous, Max began getting sick. And sicker. Lastly, he and his household realized the terrible reality: Max had sort 1 diabetes.

In a single day, Max and his household discovered their lives upended. All Max wished was to be a traditional child, however abruptly, the only issues—a recreation of basketball with pals, a household meal, a college subject journey—have been difficult with a thousand totally different issues. Would folks discover or make enjoyable of him if he carried his blood-testing equipment all over the place? Would his teammates assume he was weak if his blood sugar went low at hockey apply? How a lot insulin did he want after a meal? And all of the whereas, the concern of what may occur if issues went incorrect hung over his head. Max needed to develop up shortly.

As he struggled to search out his new regular, Max slowly started to comprehend that overcoming his illness demanded the identical qualities that it took to be a hockey participant—psychological and bodily toughness, maturity, and the love and care of household and pals. Little by little, he realized—generally the laborious method—not simply to regulate his diabetes, however to show it into a bonus. If managing his illness was going to demand that Max be stronger, extra ready, and extra disciplined than anybody else, then he wouldn’t simply be good at these issues: he’d be one of the best. He’d do no matter it took to maneuver himself nearer to his dream of enjoying within the NHL.

Inspiring, heartwarming, and thrilling,
No Days Off is a memoir about what it’s wish to be a child whose world is turned the other way up, and what it takes to face adversity.