Amherstburg resident hopes to inspire those struggling with new book

Doug Pflug and Richard Peddie at River Bookshop in Amherstburg, Ont. on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. (Bob Bellacicco/CTV News Windsor)

Doug Pflug recounts a dark day during his 28-year policing career.

“In 2007 as a police officer in the City of Guelph, I had a post-traumatic stress injury when we had a horrific death of a two-year-old little girl.

Pflug resorted to substance abuse with his use of alcohol spiralling after that episode.

“The drinking wasn't to get drunk. It was actually to feel numb so you could finally fall asleep and I was unable to do that,” he said. “Some thought processes that weren't natural were starting to sound natural, about ending things, and at that point, I realized I needed help.”

Which Pflug reached for.

“I met a phenomenal lady, Mary Margaret, who's my counsellor and in that pit of darkness she helped show me the light,” he said.

A former varsity football player, strength coach and peer mentor for the Guelph Storm, Pflug shares his story with recruits as a teacher at the Ontario Police College. He also mentors executives through his business called Ironwill 360 Leadership.

“I found there was a real need to help people that regards to this fear of influence that we live our lives. A lot of people are suffering,” Pflug said.

During the pandemic, he wrote a book called Finding Your Granite.

“I thought why not write a book and give a roadmap to someone else that might be suffering so they don't have to suffer in silence or darkness like I did,” he said.

Pflug is hosting an event at River Bookshop in Amherstburg Thursday night, owned by former president of Maple Leaf Sports and entertainment Richard Peddie.

“What we had is, we had tremendous resources both in the basketball (and hockey teams),” Peddie said. “We had psychologists. They’ve upped, both teams have really upped their healthcare and so it’s going on today but it’s below the water level.”

Proceeds from the event put on for Bell Let’s Talk, will be donated to the charity Veterans and Everyday Heroes to purchase support dogs for frontline workers. Pflug has sold 300 books and hopes his story can help the conversation.

“I’m hoping my book, at the least, if they read it might give them some answers or plan so that they can get out of that darkness and live to see a brighter day,” he said.