Lessons From A Life Of Purpose and Compassion | CNN Hero Of The Year, Dr. Kwane Stewart aka "The Street Vet"

Michael Gervais (0:00)

Why that? Of all the things that you could do as a highly skilled, compassionate, intelligent veterinarian, why that?

Kwane Stewart (0:07)

Because I realized if my job as a care provider is to find pets that need care, I should find the neediest pets. I should find the ones that aren't gonna get seen, whose pet parents don't have the resources to be seen.

Michael Gervais (0:32)

Welcome back or welcome to the Finding Mastery podcast. I am your host, Dr. Michael Gervais, by trade and training, a high-performance psychologist. Today, we have a pretty special episode. Personally, I'm an animal lover. Our dog, Morris, is often sitting here in the Finding Mastery studio, and whether or not you're obsessed with your pets, I think this episode is going to move you. Today's conversation is with Dr. Kwane Stewart, a veterinarian with an unlikely story that's captured the hearts of many, leading him to being named CNN's 2023 Hero of the Year. While he's been grinding for over two decades as a veterinarian, it's his current endeavor as the co-founder of Project Street Vet that's capturing the hearts and minds around the world. His initiative provides free veterinary care to pets of the unhoused.

In essence, he's creating a movement of care and compassion. This is a great conversation for the holiday season. I mean, this is the time for giving and caring. Kwane gives, Kwane cares. He's dedicated his life toward it, and he works from the inside out.

He shares his own mental health challenges, and his journey is a testament to the resilience found in living a life with purpose. Kwane's story is a compelling expression of compassion and the profound impact that just one person can make. So with that, let's jump right into this week's conversation with Dr. Kwane Stewart. Kwane, this is so thrilling for me to be with you.

The way you've navigated your life is really inspiring to me. And so I'd love for us to zoom in in a moment. And there was a moment where you decided that you were going to set up a table and you were going to offer free advice or guidance for anybody that wanted to have their dog examined or their pet examined. This is kind of the moment where the street mission started for you.

Can you walk me into what led to that moment and the thinking and the things that were lining up in your life where you said, this is what I'm going to do.

Kwane Stewart (2:46)

Yeah, I'll jump in right in the middle of the fire and share this. I was at a point just prior to that day when I had contemplated as quitting being a veterinarian altogether. A lot of people don't know this. I don't usually speak about it that often. It was a painful time, but if you know what it takes to become a veterinarian, the sacrifice, the time, commitment, the money, the student loan debt, everything that goes in, it's a lifelong commitment. It started when I was seven. I said, I wanna be a vet. At seven years old, I wanna be a vet. It was after watching The Black Stallion. I came out with my mom, I was holding her hand, I looked up and during the movie, I was crying, I was laughing and I just remember looking up and saying, I didn't know what a veterinarian was. I said, I wanna be an animal doctor when I grow up.

And there was something about watching that majestic black horse, that boy, and the moment the horse was injured. And I just, there was a part of me that said, I wanna be able to fix animals one day.

And so yeah, getting straight A's and grades and sticking to it when your friends are out partying, you're under a lamp reading your textbooks.

Michael Gervais (3:59)

Is that grade school or high school?

Kwane Stewart (4:02)

Starting early, yeah.

Michael Gervais (4:03)

So you made that, you had that idea early and then it was real for you. It wasn't like this magical idea that one day I want to be, like you really meant it when you said it.

Kwane Stewart (4:13)

Really it did. And coming from my mom and my dad, and my dad was a NFL football player for a time. My mom's an academic and so they're driven themselves. And I said, if this is something you want, then you need to lock it now.

And it starts now. So yeah, I remember having that-

Michael Gervais (4:29)

That's intense for a seven year old.

Kwane Stewart (4:31)

Well, it is. And it wasn't like every day they're gonna hound me, but just know that the journey begins now, if that's really what you wanna be.