More than Work: Dire situation puts life, business into perspective

Tim McGuire is a past president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors and former editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He writes about workplace issues.

In 1996, Gene DeMaertelaere ran a fastener business that produced screws, nuts and bolts.

He was a hard-driving, tough businessman who carried a lot of resentment and anger. When a former associate embezzled from the company, DeMaertelaere knew he had to work harder than the next guy to succeed. His tenacious motto was, "Winning is getting up one more time than you're knocked down."

Fatigue became a part of DeMaertelaere's intense life. The pressure was overwhelming.

In July 1996, DeMaertelaere started thinking he may have a bit of flu. His doctor was unsure, but didn't think it was the flu. Neither DeMaertelaere nor his doctor ever gave a thought to undercooked chicken he'd eaten in Mexico on a business trip.

The doctor advised DeMaertelaere to slow down, ordered one week of bed rest and told him to ease his stress.

DeMaertelaere scoffed at the orders. He hurried back to Mexico on business; there was no time for rest. The success of his company depended on a huge deal that was hanging in the balance, and only he could close it. He could rest after the big deal closed.

A week later, after returning home to Scottsdale, Ariz., DeMaertelaere woke up and couldn't get his foot to move. Throughout that day, his entire immune system began the inexorable process of shutting down: His body was devouring his nervous system and by 2 p.m., DeMaertelaere's body quit on him. He couldn't breathe and he couldn't move a single muscle except his right eyebrow.

For four weeks, the businessman could only communicate by twitching that right eyebrow. For four weeks, he was alone with his thoughts, and his prayers.

While he lay motionless in the hospital, DeMaertelaere repented for all the business associates he had offended. Even more important, he forgave all the people, living and dead, who had wronged him. He later said that forgiving other people was essential to healing.

Then, he taught himself how to converse with his God. He dissected all the prayers he learned as a child and decided they were too much babble. Just talking to God brought him closer to God. DeMaertelaere said he came to understand how special he was in God's eyes.

Third, DeMaertelaere came to realize he was using the wrong benchmarks to judge success. He admits that prior to his illness, God was never a part of his formula for success. His illness taught him to integrate God into his work and his life. DeMaertelaere says he told God he would be a different person if he survived, and that he would start by serving others.

DeMaertelaere survived. His company won that big contract and prospered. He worked for four years with his rejuvenated attitude of serving others, and then at the age of 67 he sold his business to his partner. He's now active in his faith and he tells his story with stunning power.

We all pray we'll be spared the trauma DeMaertelaere went through. It would be great if we could learn to balance our work with our emotional, physical and spiritual health without having to spend four horrible weeks in total isolation.

Tip for your search

As difficult as it might be, put yourself in DeMaertelaere's hospital bed.

What would you regret about your life? What would you celebrate? Who would you forgive? How would you adjust your priorities? Why wait?