Latest / Rare Medium with Deb Snyder / Strength in the Scars with Vincent Van den Broeck
Transcript
- Vincent Van den Broeck: ultimate goal for by the way everyone listening for you also that should be in life no matter what you're chasing no matter what is important for you but should be that on the last moment on this earth you're able to tell yourself and people around you I did everything I wanted to do and I said everything I want to say which could have been by the way when I was 32 That should Deb Snyder: That's right. Vincent Van den Broeck: be the only goal. And you know what? That changes through our life. But when you're able to tell yourself, could you even imagine last moment, very last moment, what an amazing life you're gonna have. And you told everyone that you love, yeah, I love you. Thanks for being you. That's the goal. I told my wife, don't forget you're the best thing that ever happened to me. leaving that to the people you love that's the last memory they have of you it's everything Deb: Rare Medium with Deb Snyder, celebrating life's rarities, the people, places, and experiences that just might be a little bit weird. This podcast explores all facets of our energetic connections to each other and beyond. We'll dive into the depths of mediumship, psychic ability, intuition, near death experiences, afterlife research, healing modalities, and more. Our focus is to bring you relevant and moving accounts with guests who share their authentic selves and their treks into the spiritual and energetic realms. We'll learn how those experiences shifted their perspective on life itself. Join us to be inspired by everyday people on their extraordinary journeys into the rare medium of the mystical world. Topics discussed on Rare Medium by the host and guests are presented for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional, legal, or medical advice. Deb Snyder: Hello and welcome to Rare Medium. I'm your host, Deb Snyder. I am honored this week to bring you Vincent Van den Broeck He is a Brussels based entrepreneur, restaurateur, and survivor of a near fatal car accident that changed his life forever. Vincent Van den Broeck: you Deb Snyder: on October 11th, 2024, he was struck whilst riding a scooter in a collision at 55 kilometers in a 30 zone. The impact left him with multiple fractures and major brain trauma. Doctors gave him little hope with most. injuries of this severity having only a ten Vincent Van den Broeck: you Deb Snyder: percent survival rate. He spent weeks Vincent Van den Broeck: you Deb Snyder: in a coma and three months in intensive rehabilitation. But his recovery didn't stop there. It became Vincent Van den Broeck: you Deb Snyder: his daily mission. Against all odds, he not only regained his strength, but came back stronger than Vincent Van den Broeck: Okay. Deb Snyder: before, working out seven times a week, running a business, and building new creative projects. Today, Vincent shares his story as living proof that resilience, mindset, and community can make the impossible possible. Vincent is the author of Everything Feels Impossible Until It's Done, How the Life You Build Becomes the One Vincent Van den Broeck: you Deb Snyder: That Saves You. Vincent, welcome. Vincent Van den Broeck: Thank you. Thank you. Deb Snyder: Mm. Vincent Van den Broeck: I'm smiling because every time I hear this kind of intro I'm like, my God. I'm Deb Snyder: Hmm. Vincent Van den Broeck: humble and I'm amazed and the honor is for real mine. I'm happy to be here with you. Thank you for having me. Deb Snyder: it is my privilege to have you and we welcome you to the show and we welcome you to your new life I'm always so excited when someone, a survivor, they got through the toughest of tough. And I'm so grateful that you did. I'm so grateful that you're here with us. Vincent Van den Broeck: you Deb Snyder: Now it's quite a recovery and now you have the international release of your new book. That's gonna be exciting. Vincent Van den Broeck: Who would have thought? Who would have thought? Deb Snyder: it's all a part of the puzzle and it's only just beginning, I'm sure. You have a nice vibe to you and you have a lot to share with the world. So we're grateful that you're here with us today. Now, Vincent, take us back, tell us a little bit about the accident that brought you to where we are now. Vincent Van den Broeck: A very long story, very short. So I'm on my way to the Hoxton, which is a hotel in the city center of Brussels to finish an important file for the business that I had to send over to our lawyers. And in front of the Hoxton, I get hit by... the infamous car, fall on the front window, fall on the roof and then the person that then found me, found me 11 meters further than the car, wasn't wearing any helmet on the e-scooter, fell on my skull. Apparently the scene was disgusting to see, my skull is completely open, the paramedics had to drain blood from my skull on the spot, intubate on the spot, fall immediately into coma and then the rest is history. So first surgeries, they in that during that night they have to complication second surgery third surgery caught a 40 degree fever so they had to put me on ice blankets in the ICU so I'm shivering while in coma and they have to know the narrative while I was still in coma was to my wife your your husband is probably not going to survive. Start preparing the funeral, start preparing for the worst. And it was every day a bit of good news, a lot of bad news, a bit of good news, a lot of bad news for three weeks. And then when news got a bit better, the most optimistic news was should your husband ever wake up, there'll probably be a plant for the rest of his life. Of course that didn't happen. But it Deb Snyder: That's right. You had other plans. Vincent Van den Broeck: was honestly like we can laugh about it right now, but it was bad. And you know what? I did not even go through the worst myself, both for my family, for my wife, for my sister, for literally for the people surrounding me. It was tough. Like we were. It's tough all the time, but we were only 32. You have to know my last words to my wife when I left the catering event we were on for the Hoxton. I told her, don't forget you're the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you more than anything in this life. And there's Deb Snyder: I thought that was really poignant. Vincent Van den Broeck: Apparently people feel like they're gonna die. Which by the way also happened to my mom. That's another long story. So she was like, please don't tell me he's gonna pass away. Again that didn't happen. But again, long story very short. It was disgusting. Deb Snyder: Yes. Well, talking a little bit about that energy, that deep knowingness. you're talking, that's right up my alley. That's my field of expertise is energy and intuition and sensing that sort of stuff. I loved how in the book you not only share your perspective of things, but you also the perspective your wife wrote some sections, your other family members wrote a few little things. I love that. Because it really did give the full scope of the chaos and of what was going on, what their hearts and minds were going through right alongside you. Vincent Van den Broeck: By the way, for that, have to say all credits go to a very good friend of mine, Lynn, who... She's also in the book in the acknowledgments part who encouraged me to dig deeper into my past and the idea was for that chapter, you know, in films when there's the same moment and the camera switches from a different POV and it switches. And so she rewrote, she helped me eventually edit the book. Like literally the book is the book. big thanks to her, to Lynn And so she wrote it from a different kind of point of views. So I'll praise her to her. And I wanted it because again, even a basic situation when there's two of us, even this conversation is your point of view, like you're gonna live this conversation completely different than I will. And so I found it so, I always wanted the book to credit everyone that was a part of the whole story. Like literally this book is our victory. This book, I did not do this by myself. Yeah, of course I was the one getting hit by a car, but Deb Snyder: Mm-hmm. Vincent Van den Broeck: it is my best friend's win. It is my family's win. It is my wife's win. Literally when this book will come out, listen carefully. Deb Snyder: And you should, and you definitely should. Now, in the course of your rehab, you were accused of having toxic positivity by the medical team. why were they concerned and why weren't you? Vincent Van den Broeck: You're the first one bringing that one up. I have a lot to say on this. It Deb Snyder: Ha ha ha. Vincent Van den Broeck: was because it was, it could have been linked to being delusional. By the way, which I don't consider a negative thing neither. But it was like when you go through something that I went through, you're put in a category. and you're supposed to act in a certain way or not act in a certain way. And they didn't know me. Like I came in as a patient and I've been always too much to a lot of people. Like I'm just me. I'm optimistic, I'm enthusiastic, I'm energetic all the time. they, one, they thought it could be, because of the brain injury that I might be delusional, understanding what I'm going through, or too much for the other patients. Hence the book, by the way, because I've been telling them for so many times, listen, often all it takes is one positive person in the same room. with a positive aura to just, again, it's this energy kind of thing, like to just restart your bad day, to restart your bad week, your bad month, even your bad year. I've always, like I've been telling this for, again, ask anyone around me, I've been telling this for so long that I have this feeling that I've been put on earth to make people around me happy. Like, for real, Deb I genuinely... from the bottom of my heart. Again, no pretending, no hidden agenda. I want people to win. I want people to get the most out of life. And I will do, even if it's not asked for, I will do everything in my power. So when, I can give you a couple of examples. So when they would ask me in the morning, and I was still missing part of my skull, so I had a big hole in my head, they would ask me, hey Vincent, how you doing? I'm doing amazing, thanks, how are you? nurses and doctors. Of course I wasn't... You know what? I was doing pretty okay cool. There was indeed the skull missing. Yeah thanks I'm doing amazing. And then there was the Christmas reception and I'm a big speech guy like I'm giving speeches all the time and I decided to do so I put on a imagine I'm still in rehab. I asked my wife to bring me a suit, bring me a tie, like I was all suited up. Did a speech and I was literally, and that was right after my surgery. So this time I my whole head. And I remember saying to all the patients of the department, like, let me be approved. That everything you're going through might feel impossible. The other side might feel impossible right now. You can do this. Anyways, and it was way longer. I know the speech was pretty amazing. I get my therapist tells me, I think it was the next day she tells me, Vincent, be careful with the words you're using. You're talking to patients that might not be ever be able to walk again. And I was like, but that's not even the point. Like I'm. emotionally smart enough to understand that and sometimes you know what sometimes people just need delusional optimism like come on what do Deb Snyder: That's right. Vincent Van den Broeck: they want listen that you want negativity good news walk outside your door you'll have it you want positivity good news walk outside your door you'll have it and it was back and forth, back and forth, while my wife telling them, think twice or three times she told them like, yo, stop it. Stop blaming him for his own per... Stop changing him. When I was not going through rehab to change my personality, I was going through rehab to relearn how to rationally think again, the basic stuff. Anyways, so I love you. You brought that one up. Thanks. Deb Snyder: Well, I think it's important and it's important for traditional medical practitioners to realize that sometimes the part of the cure is the people that are coming together to learn and grow from each other. And I think you were just what your fellow patients needed. Now I pulled a couple of quotes from your book that I especially resonated with. Now, this one in particular, you say, I work best when I can take ownership of my journey. Tell us what you mean by that. Vincent Van den Broeck: pretty simple, like I love making things simple. Everything is your fault. Everything is your fault. Even if it's not, it still is. Taking full ownership of your life and accepting it. Because knowing it and accepting it are two different things. And really accepting it, life changes. Like you stop When you stop because the opposite is you blame me all the time. You blame me all the time. It's always someone else's fault. It's always either society or it's family or it's your spouse or it's doesn't matter. But when you take full ownership. and you stop blame light becomes more sunny even when it rains it starts to become sunny Deb Snyder: It's wonderful that you've come into a true place of personal empowerment. We can definitely feel that. Now I was moved by your reflections on your numerous relationships in your life. you say in the book, when you almost lose everything, everything becomes precious again. Can you elaborate on that? Vincent Van den Broeck: makes me even emotional thinking about it. It is... I remember, I think it's also in the book, I remember walking home for the very first time in... two months, three months, but really walking home. And I remember my best friend came over because he was playing in Spain, so he came over as a surprise visit. My wife was on the other side and I was looking at them and I said, wow, even walk, just walk those 50 laps, even walking home, what a blessing. And we went to Ikea for their hot dogs because I don't... always on our way to rehab we passed by Ikea and I was always thinking like my god I would be so down to eat some hot dogs from Ikea Deb Snyder: Yeah. Vincent Van den Broeck: we did that and it's always those... Deb you need to know that there's even a video on Instagram where I'm able to open a water bottle for the very first time by myself a simple bottle and I'm like it's cool Deb Snyder: Ha ha ha. Vincent Van den Broeck: I'm exstatic like And again, it's beautiful and I probably do not need to explain to you, but it's beautiful how the brain works and how it's able to forget trauma pretty easily or like bad feelings. And so I could not really vividly remember like how bad I felt, of course the basic stuff is all that matters. Could be literally. And going back also to the subtitle, how the life you build becomes a life that saves you, I've always been someone super grateful for a simple, I can't even tell you this morning, just a simple espresso, a simple conversation with someone you love, dinner with your wife or husband in the evening, just having a nice apartment, like things we take often. for granted, like, okay, we just go home. But, and I'm not blaming neither. It's a normal thing to do. Like, same with your daughter. She's 27 right now, right? Deb Snyder: Yes, she is. She'll be soon to be twenty seven, right. Vincent Van den Broeck: You do not think about it every day. Still, I think, when she was given only two weeks to live. But take from time to time just a moment to just realize like how lucky we are and Deb Snyder: Right. Vincent Van den Broeck: life changes again. Deb Snyder: Gratitude is a very powerful thing. Now we explore energy and spirituality very deeply on this podcast. Did you feel guided by or connected to a higher source at Vincent Van den Broeck: you Deb Snyder: any point during this journey? Vincent Van den Broeck: There's a, you're the second person I'm telling this to. I've always been a big believer on, I've been, I touch wood all day, every day. Like I've always been a big believer in energy and you can call it whatever you want to call it. If you believe in God, it God. you believe in, a lot of us cross fingers, a lot of us touch wood. You can call it whatever you want to call it, destiny. energy, faith, God doesn't matter. Yeah, I've always believed big time in energy and I was not necessarily, or at least I didn't feel like I was guided by, but there's one thing that happens, again, facts, and it wasn't a dream, it wasn't some kind of epiphany, but it was, we're 22, we're last year and I woke up and right after waking up, So I was awake, so it wasn't even a dream. I had this visualization about... God and right next to God. I'm seeing again this is not something vivid, this is not something cliché, but I'm seeing God and right next to God there's my mom that passed away when I was 21 and there's my wife's father who passed away five, tomorrow is going to be five years and I had a beautiful relationship with him anyways and we're in this Cliché, you know, in the movie, the cliché white room. And my mother and I, it's also in the book, we had a weird kind of relationship. And she was stricken in the visualizations and she throws a shoe in. And then... Zainab, so my wife's father, again, we had this amazing relationship and he would always say to me, like when I would do stupid things, Sacre Vincent, which translates to Holy Vincent, like this guy, which he then says to me and then God looks at his watch, looks at both of them. And then what happens is this people and this is by the way fact, there's people around the world hanging on to cords and the cords are attached to me and they're pulling the cords. And the moment I touch the ground, I touch earth, I wake up. You have to know what. Deb Snyder: Wow. I that's that's a that's powerful. I appreciate you sharing that. that's very interesting. You could probably write an entire book on just that visualization. That's Vincent Van den Broeck: Yeah, you have to know again, this is factually in a sense that when I was still in coma those three weeks, there were lines outside of ICU. I say hundreds of people, there were churches, mosques, family members of people working with us, parents, uncles that prayed for me. There was a good friend of mine. that sent over, he was pretty, at least he didn't have a lot of money, sent over money to a mosque in Sri Lanka. There's literally a video that he then sent to my wife of an Imam praying with, I think the kids were like eight years, nine years, 10 years, they're praying with the paper in front of the Imam. with a reading for me to wake up. So those things literally happened when I was there. They were beautiful. Like the whole, it felt almost as if the whole, country mobilized for me. was, then the crowdfunding was the proof. It wasn't even, I think it took three weeks to four weeks for there to be. 45,000 euros in a crowdfunding could you even imagine for nobody Literally for a yeah when Deb Snyder: Well, you're not a nobody, that's for sure. And look at all the people that came together for you. That's amazing. Vincent Van den Broeck: And when I say nobody, when I say nobody, I know that I'm not nobody. When I say nobody, I'm not like a celebrity kind of famous guy, you know? That's what I mean by nobody. But it was Deb Snyder: Right. Absolutely. No, we know. Vincent Van den Broeck: like catering, there you have to know catering clients. So with the business we did, catering big companies, sent over thousand, 2,000, 3,000. It was crazy. And all that relates to... person that I was before the accident like when I told you in the beginning of this conversation like I generally want people to I generally want the best for people even when people come to the restaurant first thing I would tell them you're at home and they will laugh yeah I'm not joking do whatever you want to do you're literally at home Deb Snyder: Mm-hmm. Now, Vincent, I especially I want my audience to hear this particular quote. I love this one that that embraces the philosophy that you convey in the book. So not to embarrass you, but I wanna I love this particular section, it says. This new chapter, the second chance at life, isn't just about surviving anymore. It's about becoming. It's about learning how to live again. Slower, more deeply with more gratitude, and find beauty in the silence, strength in the scars, and joy in the littlest things. That moved me so much. That moved me. And I think that's that sort of sums up where you're at and and how you believe right Vincent Van den Broeck: you Deb Snyder: there in that paragraph. Would you agree? Vincent Van den Broeck: Again, it's beautiful that you remind me of it because I even forgot that I wrote it down like this because in Deb Snyder: Yeah. Vincent Van den Broeck: conscious now because it's exactly what I'm doing right now. Literally today like my mind was all over the place and I had the books to do for the the restaurant and then there's some pockets come a lot of things to do. But tonight date I planned with my wife. Deb Snyder: That's right. That's what's important. Vincent Van den Broeck: And that became just non-negotiable. That would never have happened before the accident. I became non-negotiable when it comes to spending time with the people I love. Spending time with the people I love is everything right now. I remember, I think it was a couple of weeks before the accident, and I was opening the restaurant. And my sister sent over pictures in the group chat of her daughters being dressed as princesses for their birthday. And after that, I missed their four first birthdays. And I remember opening and I looking at it and I started literally crying that I would never ever, I'm not missing that again. Never. Deb Snyder: that's that Vincent Van den Broeck: I'm almost every night having dinner with my wife. I'm never missing. You know what? If there's a problem tonight for the business, it will be taken care of tomorrow. became priorities change. Like I'm still super ambitious. Like I still love being super busy from early in the morning to, but. I got super intentional when it comes to planning blocks. I'm someone super organized. My whole agenda for this week, next week, and in three is plan. But there's also blocks planned with my best friends, with my wife, with my family. Non-negotiable. Deb Snyder: Excellent. Now toward the end of the book, you put in a little section that you call the manual. Now it's you're honoring that that that's your manual, but if someone gets something out of it for themselves too, I'm not gonna read the whole thing. I just pulled a couple. so I'm gonna say the section and you elaborate on it if you feel like you need to. So this first section in the manual, you said make every goodbye as though it could be your last. Vincent Van den Broeck: ultimate goal for by the way everyone listening for you also that should be in life no matter what you're chasing no matter what is important for you but should be that on the last moment on this earth you're able to tell yourself and people around you I did everything I wanted to do and I said everything I want to say which could have been by the way when I was 32 That should Deb Snyder: That's right. Vincent Van den Broeck: be the only goal. And you know what? That changes through our life. But when you're able to tell yourself, could you even imagine last moment, very last moment, what an amazing life you're gonna have. And you told everyone that you love, yeah, I love you. Thanks for being you. That's the goal. Deb Snyder: Absolutely. Vincent Van den Broeck: And what I say about that, not a quick love you. That's easy. Deb Snyder: Right. Vincent Van den Broeck: Going back, listen, it happened then. Right before leaving, is facts again. I told my wife, don't forget you're the best thing that ever happened to me. Walked away, she called me back. And I had this conversation in my head. I don't know why. You know what? Because I've always been that kind of guy. No, no, you need to leave now. Decided to walk back, looked her in the eyes and said, I love you more than anything in this life. Never forget that. kiss have walked away and this could have been the last could you could you even imagine leaving that to the people you love that's the last memory they have of you it's everything Deb Snyder: It makes it seem especially poignant to know that on a soul level you did want to make sure that that was said, because your accident obviously could have been an exit point for you. and at a deep level, your partner, your soulmate, definitely had no question about how you felt. that's powerful. Now We're gonna be wrapping up here a little bit, Vincent. I have every guest on Rare Medium answer what's called the 10QQ, the 10 quick questions. And I know you have not seen them ahead of time. So just feel free to fire back the answers authentically as you are. So are you ready for your 10 q? All right. All Vincent Van den Broeck: Now let's go more than more than Deb Snyder: right. Do you believe in the afterlife? Vincent Van den Broeck: I hope it exists. Truly, I hope it. Deb Snyder: Now what was your age and the best year of your life so far? Vincent Van den Broeck: this year. Now. Deb Snyder: Who is your favorite musical artist? Vincent Van den Broeck: Drake, 100%. Deb Snyder: Where would you most like to travel? Vincent Van den Broeck: No, no, no, no, I'm gonna take that back. Back to the south of Italy on Malfi Coast to relive the honeymoon I had with my wife. Deb Snyder: Lovely. What person has inspired you the most? Vincent Van den Broeck: my friends and my wife, every single one in my family. Deb Snyder: If you could have an entirely different profession, what would it be? Vincent Van den Broeck: And that would be teacher. Yeah, teacher. Deb Snyder: I think you're already a bit of that. Vincent Van den Broeck: Not officially. Deb Snyder: What are you grateful for? Do you love yourself? Vincent Van den Broeck: my god, I'm amazed by myself. I F'n love myself. Deb Snyder: Yay. Wonderful. What do you most regret? Now in a word or two, what is your advice for your fellow humans? Vincent Van den Broeck: live life authentically Deb Snyder: Fabulous. Vincent, thank you so much for being with us here today. We will make sure for our people that we're gonna go ahead and link to Vincent's pages and all of his socials so you know where to pick up his book. And we really enjoyed you being with us today. Thank you. Vincent Van den Broeck: Thank you so much. By the way, the 10 questions were, I did a pretty good job not knowing them. Thank you, thank you so much. Thank you so much. Deb Snyder: Absolutely. You did a great job. No. Fabulous job. And we look we look forward to everyone learning about your book and seeing what happens next for you. You're you're truly an amazing man. Thank you. Vincent Van den Broeck: for real that means the world. Thank Thank you, by the way, for reading the book. Deb Snyder: I loved it. I loved it. This has been Rare Medium with Deb Snyder. Please subscribe on your favorite channel and leave any comments you'd like us to see. To learn more, visit DebSnyder.com or Heartglow.org.