Rhys Thomas is a former International Rugby Player, Inspirational Speaker, Mental Health Ambassador, Mentor and Charity Co-Founder. He strives to help others via sharing his incredible life journey and the lessons he has learnt along the way.
Rhys’ inspirational story is one of incredible highs and unimaginable lows. It is rich in character and brutal truths – designed to show everyone that no matter your situation, you can transform your life. Rhys’ down to earth demeanour and raw, uncut delivery, keep his audiences captivated, whether speaking at an event, mentoring or consulting.
Rhys' Story.
Rhys’ journey is unlike any other. Back in the early 2000s, he had a thriving international sports career as a capped Welsh rugby player. Then, in 2012, at only 29 years old, he suffered a massive heart attack during training, and in a heartbeat, his life changed forever.
The heart attack caused irreparable damage to his heart, and to give him any chance of survival, he had to have an LVAD pump (a mechanical heart) fitted. As a battery-powered half-man-half-machine, Rhys struggled to come to terms with his new reality and loss of identity, causing his mental health to deteriorate rapidly. He drank heavily; living so recklessly that he would be seconds away from death on an almost weekly occurrence. Then, in 2019, Rhys hit rock bottom and ended up in rehab. Rehab was his awakening. In recovery, he found peace within himself, learnt how to be present and rediscovered his purpose in life; to help others so that they don’t have to suffer as he has. As a mentor and inspirational speaker, Rhys’ areas of expertise include: mental health and wellbeing, addiction and recovery, athlete transition and loss of identity, combating fear and ego, overcoming adversity, finding purpose and perspective, resilience and acceptance, being present and positive, transformation and self-discovery.
Rhys' Mission.
Rhys’ mission is to share his unique life experiences to create positive change. He strives to help others reach their full potential by facing their fears and awakening their authentic selves through greater self-awareness, perspective and choice.
Rhys' Mission.
Rhys' mission is to share his unique life experiences to create positive change. He strives to help others reach their full potential by facing their fears and awakening their authentic selves through greater self-awareness, perspective and choice.
Specialist Topics.
As an inspirational speaker and mentor, Rhys’ areas of expertise include; resilience, athlete transition, mental health & wellbeing, overcoming fear, victim to growth mindset, addiction & recovery, changing perspective, and finding purpose.
Services.
To find out how you, your friends, loved ones, colleagues or business can benefit, take a closer look at Rhys’ Services.
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Inspirational Speaking
An in-person or virtual presentation and Q&A session covering Rhys’ extraordinary life story and the lessons he has learnt
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1-to-1 Mentoring
1-to-1 mentoring sessions, in person or online, providing guidance and support on Rhys’ areas of expertise
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After Dinner Speaking
Guest speaking at events sharing Rhys' extraordinary life story and touching on any of his specialist topics
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TV, Radio & Podcast Guest Speaking
Guest speaking on radio shows and podcasts to discuss Rhys' extraordinary life story and any of his specialist topics
Testimonials.
Richard Wham
Regional Vice President, UK Country Manager at MongoDB
" Despite knowing Rhys personally for over 18 years and witnessing the highs and lows, I never truly appreciated the powerful impact his positive and resilient mindset could have on others until I asked him to come and tell his story to our whole team. To a man and woman, everyone was blown away by the approach Rhys is taking to life after everything he has been through. The lessons, inspiration and true perspective one can get from listening to his story will last a lifetime. A clear, authentic and passionate communicator who, when in full flow, leaves everyone on the edge of their seat experiencing disbelief, shock, belly aching laughter, total sadness, ignition of a ‘can do attitude’ and learnings that no other talk has measured up to in my experience. I can highly recommend Rhys if any of the following topics resonate; resilience, perspective, power of now, positive thinking, acceptance, gratitude, goal setting and recovery. I would also be happy to take a call to share the feedback and sentiment from our team after Rhys’ talk... which is still referenced today, 3 months on. "
Dr. Phil Parker, PhD, DO
Lecturer, Coaching & Addictions London Met University
" Rhys is one of life's rare truly authentic and inspirational people. He has so much to share from the highs and lows of his own journey and presents it with a humility and approachability that is wonderful to experience. "
Simon Scott-Nelson (F.ISP)
CEO at Wellity Global
" Rhys and I first met filming the Wellity Global, 'Inspirational Stories' Series. The candid interviews are designed to help people who are struggling in life by allowing them to see that there is always hope. Rhys's story has since inspired thousands of people and is one of incredible highs and lows, rich in character and brutal truths. An extremely affable character with an inspirational story, Rhys is engaging, emotional and raw ... a man that wears his heart on his sleeve and who is now dedicated to helping others. A great bloke with a big heart and fantastic values, I would recommend Rhys every day of the week, to anyone in my network. "
Patrick Brunnock
Headteacher at Corpus Christi Catholic High School
" I have to say that the whole staff were overwhelmed and very moved by your talk. Quite blown away really. Many staff came up to me after the event and thanked me for inviting you to our school. You were straight-talking, honest and very real. You talked of your own experiences, and combined this with effective and practical advice on how to look after our mental health. You made a real impact on a group of school staff who have had a very challenging year, and gave them inspiration on how to stay positive and mentally healthy in challenging times. You dealt with some searching questions very effectively, which will help equip staff to support our pupils. We are very much looking forward to welcoming you back for sessions with our pupils, as we can see that you will have a big impact on them. "
Peter Cohen
Coach | Speaker | Author
" I’ve had the privilege of working with Rhys since the beginning of 2021. He is an absolute inspiration and a real pleasure to work with. He always sees the best in people and is driven to help people be their best mentally and emotionally. His story has only just begun his best years ahead of him. I would highly recommend him. "
Dai Fussell
Head of HSEQ at Transport for Wales
" I whole-heartedly recommend Rhys to provide a real world, relatable story on mental health and substance addiction that hits home and hits hard. His story from peaks to depths and coming through the other side is powerful and thought-provoking. Rhys tells it like it is, through his experiences, which really help provide solutions and coping mechanisms that all men and women can relate to in todays modern world. I would not hesitate to book Rhys on a corporate / wellbeing event as his story will help you and the people you support. "
Lucy Donovan
Senior Positive Futures Development Officer at Newport Live
" Our programme has worked with Rhys in his Ambassador role within Tidy Butt and I would recommend his work. The presentation and honest share Rhys provides is relatable and gives an audience a platform to start and share a discussion around mental health and addictions. "
Partners & Clients.
“I learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
Nelson Mandela
Rhys meeting one of his heroes, Nelson Mandela on tour with Wales in 2004.
