The John F. Xuereb FND Recovery Method
My Story — And Why This Exists
About Me...
My name is John F. Xuereb.
For over 40 years, I’ve dedicated my life to helping people transform; physically, mentally, and emotionally. I began my coaching journey in 1986, shortly after winning the BC Provincial Bodybuilding Championships in Vancouver, Canada. But my path into coaching didn’t begin with success….it began with struggle!
My childhood was filled with abuse, instability, and constant displacement, moving from foster homes to group homes, to emergency placements and eventually being on my own at just 15 years old since my social worker realized no one wanted me. Those experiences could have broken me... nearly did, but instead, they lit a fire inside me.
I realized something early on:
If I was going through this… others must be too.
And if I could find a way to rise above it, maybe I could help others do the same.
That became my mission.
Over the following decades, I’ve worked with and exposed my principles to well over 300,000 individuals from 5 countries, helping them rebuild their strength, their confidence, their self-worth, and ultimately, their lives. Their success became my success. It was never about money…it was about impact!! About watching someone go from feeling powerless… to realizing just how powerful they truly are.
The Moment Everything Changed
On July 27, 2023, my life took a turn I never saw coming. I underwent open-heart surgery to repair a dilated aorta, a condition that had taken my father’s life at just 64 years old. At the time, I was a healthy, active 57-year-old, still training, still competing, still pushing forward as a national and international bodybuilder. But when I woke up from surgery… everything was different.
I began experiencing seizures, multiple times a day. My vision wouldn’t focus. I lost my balance. I couldn’t smell. I couldn’t hear properly. I was vomiting, collapsing, and losing control of my body.
At first, I thought it was just part of recovery. But it wasn’t.
I saw specialists. I had scans. I went through every test imaginable. And yet, I was told:
“There’s nothing wrong with you.”
Imagine that for a moment.
Your body is breaking down. Your reality is shifting. And you’re being told it’s all in your head.
Then I heard the term: Functional Neurological Disorder.
I had never heard of it before. But when I looked into it, everything I was experiencing… was there.
It wasn’t imagined. It wasn’t made up. It was real.
When It Got Even Worse
Just as I was trying to rebuild… life hit me again.
On March 7, 2024, I was struck by a car making an illegal U-turn. The impact shattered my leg in three places… a severe tibia plateau fracture. Multiple surgeries followed, and to this day, I’m still awaiting another.
I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t train. I couldn’t do the very things that had defined me my entire life.
And the FND symptoms? They intensified. The seizures worsened. The instability grew. And then one day, after a seizure… I woke up paralyzed on my left side. From my foot… to my skull. The same side as my injured leg. The same side as my dominant hand.
I couldn’t move properly. I couldn’t speak clearly… I couldn’t function!
And for the first time in my life… I felt completely defeated.
The Breaking Point
There were moments I didn’t recognize myself.
Moments where I questioned everything.
Moments where I looked out the window and wondered how far the fall would be.
That’s the truth.
Because when everything is taken from you, your movement, your identity, your independence, you’re forced to face something deeper than pain.
You’re forced to face a choice.
The Choice
I saw two paths.
One was to give up. To accept this as my new reality. To let the weight of everything crush me.
The other path… was harder… It was the path of rebuilding. Of fighting back. Of refusing to let this define me.
And I knew something deep inside:
I had spent my entire life helping others rise.
How could I walk away when it was my turn to stand up?
So, I made a decision.
Not just a thought.
A decision.
I was going to rise.
The Fight Back
Even when I couldn’t walk… I showed up.
Even when I couldn’t function… I tried.
The gym, my sanctuary, the place that saved my life all those years ago, became my anchor again. Even if it was just being there. Even if it was just attempting movement.
Because control, even a small amount…matters. Slowly… piece by piece… I began rebuilding. Not perfectly. Not quickly. But consistently.
What I Learned
I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do have something powerful: Experience. Not just from 40 years of coaching, but from living with and through FND.
What I’ve learned is this:
FND is not the same for everyone. It’s like a fingerprint, completely unique. But the one thing we all share… is choice. The choice of how we respond. The choice of whether we believe we can move forward. The choice of whether we give up… or rise up.
Where I Am Today
For me… I have FND, but FND doesn’t have me! Today, I stand here, not as the man I was before… but not as the man I was at my lowest either.
I can walk. I can talk. I can take care of myself. And most importantly, I can fight.
I am not 100% of what I was… But I am still 100%. Because strength is not just physical. It’s mental. It’s emotional. It’s spiritual.
Why This Method Exists
This is why The John F. Xuereb FND Recovery Method was created.
Not as a cure.
Not as a guarantee.
But as a structured, experience-driven approach to help you:
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Rebuild your confidence
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Regain control of your body
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Strengthen your mind
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And move forward, step by step!
Because this is not a race. It’s a journey.
You don’t plant a seed and expect a tree overnight. Growth takes time. Progress takes patience.
…But it does happen.
A Final Thought
Deep inside you… there is power.
The power to believe.
The power to act.
The power to rise above what others say is impossible.
The question is not whether it exists.
The question is…
What path do you choose?
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