Meet Daric

Daric was taken to the hospital three years ago with a swollen lump on his backside that turned out to be an abscessed fistula. Soon after, it became diverted completely out of the skin. His memory was rough at this time but his medical team told him that he had little hope for making it through the emergency surgery. But he beat all the odds. It took him a couple of weeks to get off the meds and it was a bit of a shock when he found out he was 80 lbs and had an ostomy. He didn’t have an option to choose whether he would receive an ostomy bag so the next three years were very hard.

Sleek, smooth and snug, Stealth Belt has helped Daric almost forget that he has a bag at times. Daric likes to be shirtless and free and loves how the Stealth Belt makes him feel secure and ready. It has given him the confidence he needs in situations where he doesn’t want to have to stress about his bag.

After undergoing surgery for an ostomy, Daric decided to document his fitness journey. Daric had received physical therapy and occupational therapy during his hospital stay at an outpatient recovery center. However, it was only when Daric returned home that he began to see significant improvements in his physical health and gained weight. He continued to work on his fitness by regularly attending physical and occupational therapy sessions.

Daric joined Instagram and discovered a community of individuals with Crohn's Disease, ostomies, and PTSD who shared their own inspiring stories and fitness journeys. He found motivation and inspiration from this community and tried his best to inspire others in the same way.

Before Daric’s surgery, he was a full-time musician and struggled with finding suitable foods to eat and the energy to prepare meals due to chronic pain. He began reading books and watching YouTube videos about cooking and became enamored with human food and culture. Daric enjoyed spending time with good company and his family.

Daric has learned the challenges of adjusting to life with an ostomy but believes that humans are strong and resilient. He encourages others not to give up and to continue trying to find peace with themselves and the things that improve their lives, such as a life-saving ostomy surgery. He says, “You are worth fighting for yourself. And there are people like us who want you to succeed and live.”

Interests/ Involvement

• Playing music
• Reading
• Spending time with family and good company
• Cooking