Courage To Come Back Awards Recipients 2025

David Chalk is an AI expert and serial entrepreneur. But behind his achievements, he carried a secret: he couldn’t read until his 60s.

As a child, David found himself unable to learn reading through the traditional approach used at the time. He was labelled lazy, slow or dumb, and placed in special education classes. Beaten up by his peers, and shamed by adults around him, he was almost mute at school to cope. He was voted “least likely to succeed” by his classmates, and his family was told he would likely end up in jail or on the streets.

David has since been diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, prosopagnosia (face blindness), ADHD, PTSD and other neurodivergent traits.

Despite these challenges, he was determined to find a way forward. After high school, he bought one of the first Apple computers and took it apart in his garage, igniting a passion for technology. He founded multi-million-dollar Doppler Computer Superstores – the first of many successful ventures. This was the beginning of a thriving career as a founder, winning numerous awards on innovation, retail and marketing. He became a syndicated columnist, TV personality and keynote speaker. Yet he masked his reading challenges and the resulting shame, using voice-to-computer dictation and personal assistants to get through. His bankruptcy was linked to his inability to read.

In 2021 David took the step to learn to read, courageously and vulnerably allowing his journey to literacy to be filmed for a documentary called, “The Truth About Reading”, and later via podcast, inspiring thousands with his journey.

Today, David’s mission is to give others the gift of literacy. He is developing Reading Road™, an AI-trained platform to teach people to read, which will be free for marginalized communities, because he believes reading is life-changing.

Born two months prematurely, Louisa Bridgman was diagnosed early with spastic cerebral palsy (CP), which affects her muscle control, movement, and mobility. She has limited use of her torso and arms, cannot use her legs, and relies on care aides to live independently.

Throughout her childhood, Louisa endured emotional, verbal, physical and sexual abuse. These experiences led to deep struggles with self-esteem, an eating disorder, suicide attempts and severe depression. She has undergone 66 surgeries, many due to childhood neglect, and faces ongoing systemic discrimination. When care aides miss a shift, she is stranded in her power chair, sometimes forced to call 911 for help.

But even from a young age, Louisa was a fierce advocate for herself and later, others. Aged six, she was denied school admission due to her disability. She contacted the media and the decision was overturned. By 17, she advocated to be moved into a group home where she finally received the support she knew she deserved.

She found strength through movement in wheelchair adaptive boxing. Through a rigorous exercise routine, Louisa has greatly reduced her pain and reliance on addictive medication. She became unstoppable.

Despite her significant personal challenges and pain, Louisa is a leading voice in her community for mobility issues, successfully lobbying for policy changes with her city.

She volunteers and fundraises for many organizations, is a remarkable public speaker and mentor, and offers peer support to those in her community. Her resilience and tireless efforts as an advocate and compassion have impacted countless people.

Stan Price faced barriers from an early age. With an abusive stepfather and mother struggling with drug addiction, much of his childhood was spent in foster care. He began drinking in elementary school, progressing to marijuana and later, crack cocaine. His destructive behaviours led to a ban from the entire school district, and by the time he was 19, he received his first jail sentence.

After his release, he moved to Vancouver for work, before his addiction led him to the Downtown Eastside. He became involved in drug trafficking, eventually founding the Vancouver chapter of the Redd Alert Gang, a notorious Native gang. Under his leadership, their criminal activity expanded to property crime and guns.

Over time, Stan realized that his lifestyle was destroying not only his future, but that of his children. His son overdosing was a powerful turning point. Despite the dangers involved in leaving an organized crime syndicate, he sought help from Police Officer Kal Dosanjh.

Breaking free from gang life and addiction was incredibly challenging, but Stan persevered. Today, he works in addictions and recovery, using his lived experience to support others on their own paths to healing.

Stan also volunteers with KidsPlay Foundation, where he developed the KidsPlay Drug and Gang Program, helping educate youth about the real-life consequences of gang involvement and substance use.

Through school presentations, summer camps, and community forums, Stan shares his story and builds connections, especially with Indigenous youth. His honesty, vulnerability, and lived experience are a powerful combination. His work has saved countless lives and inspired many others to change their life for the better.

Raised by his single mother, an educated first-generation immigrant who endured ethnic segregation and fled war, Omar grew up with little family support. On top of generational trauma, he experienced both physical and mental health challenges.

Born with short Achilles tendons and severe asthma, Omar had trouble walking properly. After corrective surgery, he had to use a wheelchair and couldn’t finish elementary school. Soon after relearning to walk and returning to school, Omar dropped out to help provide for his family.

But with his mother’s support and encouragement, Omar went back to school. While working part-time, studying, and volunteering, he was inspired by the resilience of those he supported. Omar went from skipping school and failing classes to graduating valedictorian. Now, he’s studying science at UBC on a full scholarship, aiming to become a doctor. He dreams of working for MSF, providing medical care for innocents harmed by war, like his mother.

Despite his struggles, Omar has always found ways to help others. After receiving treatment as a patient at BC Children’s Hospital, he helped improve care by becoming a patient advisor and co-authoring a checklist for doctors. He’s also spent hundreds of hours volunteering as a crisis line responder, helping people in often life-or-death situations. When he saw that many calls to crisis lines were going unanswered, he wrote a research paper and presented it to the BC Government. His work helped secure funding for a major crisis line expansion, making sure more people get the help they need.

At UBC, Omar co-leads a student movement advocating for responsible investment practices and equitable decision-making. He continues to serve on committees and working groups for organizations including Child Health BC.

Omar has become a powerful voice for change, using his personal experiences and conviction to advocate for better care.