Ten years ago, Orlando Bowen was sure he would die at the hands of two strangers. They’d pinned him to the ground and proceeded to beat him relentlessly. The then-CFL linebacker had been jumped not by muggers, but by two plainclothes police officers—an injustice which was the first of many levelled at him at the hands of the police force.
In the last decade, following a complete exoneration of him following this unprovoked and brutal beating, Bowen has made it his mission to forgive, but also to empower. He uses storytelling, fitness activities, and cognitive exercises to teach resilience, leadership, and teamwork to over 300,000 people—offering tools to overcome adversity, find passion, and to use the gifts we’ve all been given.
This weekend CTV’s W5 investigative program aired an episode that revisited the night that changed Bowen’s life, sharing too, his overwhelmingly positive message in the face of gross injustice.
You can watch the full episode above.