Crystal’s Unwavering Faith and the Gift of Life

Welcome to No Options, hosted by Ty Gipson, where life’s toughest trials become the foundation for your greatest triumphs. In this powerful episode, Ty is joined by his wife of 21 years, Crystal Gipson, to share the untold, unique parts of their story, highlighting how the “no options” approach has defined their journey together.

Episode Highlights:

• Building a Business with No Options to Fail: Ty and Crystal dive into the early days of their marriage and business venture. They made the bold decision to both quit their corporate jobs and commit 200% to their new business, embracing a “no options to fail” mindset. Crystal, initially worried, played a crucial “behind the scenes” role, providing the “brains” and making things happen, contrasting with Ty’s front-facing strengths. They discuss learning to navigate working together, prioritizing, and maintaining a work-life balance by stopping business talk when they crossed their neighborhood’s brick entrance.
• Navigating Hidden Health Crises: Throughout their business journey, Ty faced various health challenges, including quick hospital stays. They deliberately kept the details of Ty’s health struggles private from clients and the public to prevent it from affecting their business, presenting a brave face even when things were scary.
• The Onset of Kidney Failure and Dialysis: In 2018, Ty’s kidney function began to decline, leading to a major hospital stay in May 2019 where doctors confirmed his kidneys were no longer functioning adequately for daily life. This marked a somber moment, as Ty had dodged dialysis multiple times before, but now it was unavoidable. This health crisis solidified their “no options” mindset, leading them to tackle dialysis as the next necessary step rather than giving up. Ty underwent dialysis three days a week, from early morning until late morning, continuing to run the business with staff support.
• The Unexpected Transplant Journey: The couple immediately got Ty on the transplant list, initially believing that Ty’s sister or brother, who had been matches for a previous transplant, would be viable donors again. They soon discovered that it’s highly unlikely for a second family member to donate due to the recipient’s body building antibodies against that particular DNA. In a surprising turn, Crystal decided to get tested, thinking she was a different blood type (A positive) and aiming for a paired donation. After extensive testing and psychological evaluations (done separately from Ty to prevent coercion), she was informed she was a perfect match, an O blood type. Crystal attributes this to divine intervention, stating, “God changed my blood type,” a moment of profound faith for them.
• The New Year’s Eve Transplant and Recovery: Crystal and Ty underwent the kidney transplant on New Year’s Eve 2019, with everything going perfectly. As the donor, Crystal was treated “like a queen” in the hospital’s presidential suite, while Ty was in a separate, quarantined area for transplant recipients. Crystal describes the surprising post-surgery experience of feeling similar to how Ty had felt before the transplant, with significantly reduced energy, as her kidney function adjusted.
• Post-Transplant Care and COVID-19 Impact: After about a month in the hospital, they moved to Nora’s Home, a specialized, germ-free environment for transplant patients near the hospital, for further recovery and daily testing. Ty’s mother played a vital role, acting as a caretaker for both Crystal and Ty, cooking meals and handling groceries, as Crystal was also recovering from major surgery. This period coincided with the onset of COVID-19, which provided unexpected extra recovery time but also presented challenges with Ty’s compromised immune system and their daughter being at home.
• Resilience and Life Lessons: Crystal juggled business responsibilities (with staff stepping up to run things), caretaking for Ty, being a mother, and a wife during this intense period. She emphasizes the importance of pushing forward during a crisis, putting worries “in a box” to be dealt with later, especially in a life-or-death scenario like dialysis. They aimed to set an example for their daughters about perseverance. The Gipsons believe that challenges, though hard, are critical for growth, teaching lessons, and providing stories to help others.
• Gratitude and the Enduring “No Options” Legacy: Ty expresses immense gratitude to Crystal, calling her the “silent weapon” behind his “no options” approach and acknowledging that he can never truly repay her for giving him life. They continue to apply their positive, “tackle the problem” mindset, which has enabled them to achieve an exit strategy for their business and move into a new phase of life.

Connect with Ty Gipson:

• Find more stories, resources, and ways to connect at tygipson.com (Gipson with a “p”).
• Ty Gipson is an entrepreneur, relentless survivor, and powerhouse speaker.
• He transforms adversity into action and ignites audiences with real-world resilience and over 30 years of sales mastery.
• To book Ty Gipson as a speaker, call 512-944-4780 or visit tygipson.com.
• Remember, “your story isn’t over yet. If you live like you have no options, I’ll see you next time”.

To book Ty Gipson as your next inspiring keynote speaker, click here!