Finding Purpose: Trust That Life Unfolds as It Should
By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD
October 5, 2025 | #62
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Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice.
Medical Trivia of the Week
About how much of the human body’s oxygen supply does the brain use? (the correct answer is at the end of this email)
- A) 20%
- B) 25%
- C) 10%
- D) 15%
Finding Purpose
There is no deadline in life to finding your purpose. The right things will happen at the right time, and your life will unfold exactly as it should. Too often, life only makes sense when you look back and connect the dots.
Let me explain.
Connecting the Dots
When I look back over my life, there’s a clear sequence of events that led me to where I am right now, and to who I was meant to become.
When I was a teenager, I developed severe panic attacks. They changed me from an enthusiastic, carefree, outgoing person into a quiet, introspective one. I became more serious and thoughtful, which ultimately prepared me for what was to come.
Then, the summer after I graduated high school, my older brother Eric was in a terrible car accident and required emergency brain surgery in the middle of the night. I rushed to the hospital to see him lying in a coma on a ventilator.
He survived, but could never walk or talk again. He was only 21 years old.
That night changed the course of my life. I dropped my plan to study marine biology and chose instead to pursue neurosurgery.
A Mother’s Strength
Six years later, while I was in medical school, tragedy struck again.
One morning, my mother awoke unable to move her right hand. Tests revealed seven tumors in her brain. She endured multiple surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy. Despite it all, she died just three months later.
Her courage and resilience during that time solidified my decision and I knew without a doubt that I needed to become a neurosurgeon.
Life, Love, and Loss
After completing medical school and residency, I married my wonderful wife, Cindy. We built a family together and returned home to Toledo, Ohio. I began practicing full-time as a neurosurgeon, and Cindy as a forensic pathologist.
For 13 years, life was good. We raised four children and lived the kind of joyful, busy life that so many families dream of.
Then, everything changed.
Our oldest son, Brian, died at age 18 in a drunk driving accident. He was the driver. His death shattered our world and forever changed the course of our lives.
Purpose Through Pain
Looking back now, I can see that every moment, every hardship, and every triumph, led me to this point.
Each event shaped not only my career but my purpose as a human being.
As a neurosurgeon, I’ve been privileged to save countless lives. But through the loss of my son and the power of social media, I’ve also been able to inspire others to turn tragedy into hope, to change their lives for the better.
That, I believe, is my true purpose.
It took me 60 years to find it. But as I’ve learned, there is no deadline to finding your purpose.
Life moves forward one day at a time, even when we don’t understand where it’s leading. Only in hindsight do the pieces fall into place.
Trust that your life is unfolding exactly as it’s meant to. You are right where you need to be at this moment. Everything, and everyone, in your life has a purpose. Including you.
Be patient. Let life unfold, and in time, your purpose will reveal itself.
Impactful Quote of the Week
"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."
- Pablo Picasso
All my best,
Brian Hoeflinger
P.S. - if you enjoyed this newsletter, you may enjoy my podcast and/or my book that details my life as neurosurgeon and the loss of my oldest son, Brian (see below a synopsis).
Check out My Podcast
The Hoeflinger Podcast is about more than medicine, it’s about living a fuller, healthier, and more meaningful life. Together with my son, Kevin, we discuss medicine, health, fitness, lessons learned from personal tragedy, family, and purpose. Along the way, we invite inspiring guests to bring fresh insights and perspectives. Watch or listen to the podcast below.
YouTube: Click here
Apple Podcasts: Click here
Spotify: Click here
Check out My Book
Life and Death . . . Two words with such opposite meaning and which inflict such contradictory emotions and yet are so closely intertwined in our lives. As parents, we bring meaning and life into this world through our children. Our lives become defined as a result. We learn the joy, hardship, and responsibility of shaping an innocent life. But a day will come when that life will be taken. For some, death will come too soon. This is the story of my son, Brian Nicholas Hoeflinger, who died unexpectedly at age 18.
https://doctorhoeflinger.com/products/the-night-he-died-the-harsh-reality-of-teenage-drinking
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Medical Trivia Answer:
The correct answer is A) 20%
*Disclaimer: This newsletter and blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this newsletter and blog or materials linked from this newsletter and blog is at the user’s own risk. The content of this newsletter and blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay seeking medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should consult their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.
