We were lucky to catch up with Brian Rizzo recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Brian thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

I used to bounce at a strip club in SE Portland. I was 2 weeks shy of turning 22 when I started.
I had seen oxy cotton and other drugs run rampant through the high school I attended.
A little after the club opened A man named Bill Spain was hired as head of security. Bill had close to 20 years of experience working in the strip club industry.
The very first thing he told me is the world isn’t black and white it’s gray. This is true.
I saw people who would be considered respectable treat dancers horribly and cause problems. I’ve seen Strippers, pimps and drug dealers have mote honor and respect than everyday office workers.
It completely changed how I see society. How someone acts is FAR MORE important than what they do for a living.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As I said I used to bounce at a strip club in SE Portland.
On January 11th 2014 I denied entry to a man. He was being disrespectful to people in front of him in line.
He was a homeless drug addict and he was there to meet a dealer for his fix.
He went out to the car he lived in. He put on a mask and grabbed a 9mm pistol.
He came back opened the door and shot me in the head.
He fired 2 other shots which ricosheted and hit a customer in the leg and a waitress in the arm.
The homeless man went out to the parking lot.
Jon Baer the other bouncer was a little early for his shift. Baer has an Oregon concealed carry license and he shot the homeless man twice with a .45 ACP.
I collapsed to the ground and I was laying there spasming. Jackie Winston who was the bartender that night came over to me. She got down and put her arms around me.
I stopped spasming and she held me until the paramedics came.
I was taken to Emanuel hospital near the modo center.
I was blessed that Dr Adler was on call and blessed with the staff working.
My parents were contacted and Bill and Becca Spain were contacted.
They came to the hospital and were taken into a side room. Dr Adler came in and told them I was shot in the head and had less than a 1% chance to live.
Fortunately I’m not good at following instructions.
I was put into a chemically induced coma and so my journey began.
I had dreams when I was in the coma. In every dream I was sitting or lying down somewhere and I couldn’t get up and move. In reality I was lying strapped in a bed.
They were sending electric signals through my brain at different frequencies. I was not reacting to the signals.
The bullet had not exited my head. 20 days into the coma Dr Adler decided to remove the bullet for 2 reasons.
1. Lead poisoning
2. To be able to do an MRI scan.
Dr Adler removed the bullet without any problems. Then did the MRI scan and everything changed.
The bullet moved in an arc around the left side of my brain. It went slightly to the right side of the back of my head. The bullet missed my brain stem (which if it had hit my whole brain would be dead) by the width of a hair.
God decided it wasn’t my time to die.
I was in the coma for 31 days. I started lifting weights at 13.I started competing in powerlifting at 18. I lost close to 100lbs and I didn’t have the strength to stand.
2 weeks after I came out of the coma I went to REO which is at Emanuel Goodsam.
I told my Dad I’d be out of there in 3 weeks. I’ve dislocated my right shoulder 4 times,I’ve separated my hip and I’ve torn my bicep. I’ve come back and competed after these injuries so I know the work.
This injury was slightly worse than any of those injuries haha but I was still determined.
I was at REO for 3 weeks and 2 days. I went from not being able to stand to being able to walk with a walker.
I wasn’t considered mentally able to take care of myself so I had to live with my parents again OH BOY!
I enjoyed it so much the first time through.
Things happened on the road to recovery. I had seizures, I had to do rehab to get my eyes to move correctly again. I had a plastic piece put into my my head. The bullet ruptured part of my skull into tiny pieces. I guess I needed to cover where my brain is already dead (bad joke?)
The thing that helped me the most physically, mentally and emotionally was being cleared to go back to the gym.
There is nothing better than the gym. It doesn’t pass judgment on you. It doesn’t lie to you. 100lbs today is going to be 100lbs tomorrow. It will pay you back for every second of blood,sweat and tears chasing the pump grueling for 1 more rep.
It’s paradise.
After sometime I was considered able to make horrible decisions for myself so I moved out.
Got a Dog (unconditional love) and bought a mobile home in Oregon city.
I don’t know if anyone wants anymore brain damaged rambling. So I’ll try and get to the point.
I was denied handicapped social security 4 times. Covid lockdown stopped me from being able to speak.
I got evicted and lived in my truck in the gym parking lot with my Dog.
Depression is something I have fought for years. It has been a long and lonely journey. I didn’t find this instantly but over time building a relationship with God has helped me come to terms with who I am now.
I was a two bit bouncer working in the sex industry. Helping traffic cocaine, oxy cotton and I was dealing steroids myself. I was helping promote porn and sexual fantasies.
On one night in the den of sin our Lord father and savior Jesus Christ who was tortured and crucified for our sins, still decided my life was worth saving. I promise you that he has love for you.
I’m not homeless now and I have an agent and Teresa L’Heureux author of “My Rock My Hard Place” is writing my story.
I hope I can help others who suffer from PTSD, TBI (traumatic brain injury), depression or any other effects from their traumatic experience.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

It’s not going to be easy. I’ve spent years messaging hundreds of places about speaking.
The Rocky movies can teach you a lot. The speech Rocky gives his son in Rocky Balboa is words to live by.
This is the quote.
Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

My story helping others find hope. This has been a 10 year journey before I was able to make something out of my story.
You have more strength inside of you than you know. People are going to talk down to you. People are going to call you weak, tell you they’ve been through worse and tell you your story doesn’t matter.
Ignore them.
Like Rocky said you have to keep moving forward.
There is light at the end of the tunnel. Your never alone. Even when you’re lost in the Dark, struggling up the mountain that is life God is with you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brizzo995/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/home
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@brianrizzo1435

Image Credits

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