The accident that led gym founder to the good life

Canadian began GoodLife Fitness in 1979 and has since grown the chain to 500 clubs

- JARED LINDZON

The life of David Patchell-Evans could have been a tragedy. Thanks to his relentlessly positive outlook, it’s one of the country’s greatest success stories.

The man everyone — even his own mother — calls “Patch” was born into poverty, lost his father at age eight, suffered a debilitating motorcycle accident in university, had his professional rowing career cut short by rheumatoid arthritis and had a daughter with severe autism at a time when there were few resources available for her. Just six months ago, the 70-year-old broke his femur and hip in 20 places in a skiing accident. So why can’t he stop smiling?

“I’ve had these different challenges in my life that keep proving to be a gift,” explained the founder and CEO of GoodLife Fitness. “I have an expression called CROP — crisis equals opportunity — and you just take whatever happens to you and think about the silver lining. How can I make this a positive thing?”

Throughout his life, Patchell-Evans has done just that. Losing his father made him an ambitious entrepreneur. The motorcycle crash inspired him to study kinesiology and join the gym that he later purchased. The arthritis gave him a different perspective on the value of physical fitness. Raising a daughter with special needs served as the blueprint for his management style.

Four months after a skiing accident that would have forced most people his age to slow down, Patchell-Evans joined the mosh pit at a Pink concert, albeit on crutches. “It’s not about how hard you go, it’s just about showing up,” he said of his outlook on both fitness and life.