Two days after suffering a heart attack, John Farr showed his dedication to salon professionals by hosting a Sun is Life® Webinar as scheduled. It seems that the old adage is true – you can’t keep a good man down!
On February 25, John Farr was doing what he usually does on Monday nights – playing basketball with a group of friends. A regular and competitive player, John has averaged more than 3,000 games per year in the last decade; but as he played on that particular day, something didn’t feel right. “By the third game, I began to feel pressure near my sternum,” said John. “I took a pill that my doctor prescribed for chest pain and anxiety, but the pressure kept getting worse. Because I didn’t want my friends to see me hauled away in an ambulance, I got in my car and drove to the nearest fire station because I knew there would be an EMT on duty.”
Within 10 seconds, John says there were three EMTs attending to him and they all told him the same thing – he was having a heart attack. “They put me in an ambulance and whisked me off to the hospital,” he said. “Once I got there, the doctors discovered that a blood clot had caused 100 percent blockage in one of my arteries. Apparently, they call this condition ‘the widowmaker’ because only one in three people actually survive it, which didn’t exactly put my wife at ease!” Within hours, doctors had removed the clot and placed a stint in the affected artery. “They told me that the damage to my heart should heal after a few months of rehabilitation,” he said. “I guess I was in denial about the whole thing, because I don’t drink or smoke, I watch what I eat and try to get as much exercise as I can.”
Two days after his life-saving surgery, John hosted his Sun is Life Webinar titled, “Becoming an Interviewing Champion.” – from his hospital room. Despite the unusual situation, he thought the whole thing went well; as did those who logged on to attend, such as Erin Laroya, Franchise Business Consultant for Desert Sun Tanning Salons. “I really appreciate John Farr and IST Magazine for taking the time to put this together,” Laroya said. “I’ve been in the industry for over 11 years, and I still learned something new, including some great ideas regarding hiring practices. I will definitely be logging in for all future Sun is Life webinars, and I’m looking forward to passing on everything I learn to our managers.”
Earlier this year, IST Magazine partnered with John Farr, President of The Power Group, to offer a series of Sun is Life Webinars to all tanning pros looking to gain an edge in operating their businesses. To join this exclusive series, simply log on at istmagazine.com. Sun is Life is an online salon operator training program that consists of 25 user-friendly modules and offers a Guest Experience Medallion (GEM) upon completion. In addition, the Sun is Life certification course satisfies state tanning facility requirements. For more info, visit sunislife.com.
