By Charles Moseley
”I have a dream!” ― Martin Luther King Jr. “To be or not to be!”— Shakespeare “ Say it loud, I’m Black & I’m proud!”—James Brown “ I’m terrific and getting better!”—Bobby R. Henry, Sr.—“Be GREAT!”—Guy Anthony Wheeler
Each of the previous quotes listed are generally attributed to the person who said them. The subject of today centers on the latter phrase- “BE GREAT!” a phrase commonly used by Fort Lauderdale’s very own- home grow- Guy Anthony Wheeler.
Throughout his professional career spanning over three decades Guy Anthony Wheeler has been encouraging folks from all walks of life, ethnic backgrounds, and socio-economic groups to find their greatness from within. By every metric Wheeler has been a success in every field of endeavor he pursued. Whether on the athletic field, in academia, or professionally his record speaks for itself; never seeking the spotlight but shining the spotlight on those in need. Wheeler yardstick on success is based on helping others to “BE GREAT!”
Several folks who have known Wheeler over the years shared what he is meant to them and the community at large.
‘I’ve known Guy Wheeler for close to 60 years. Our parents attended college together at FAMU. Guy is a caring and Christian man with a heart of gold. He stands out in a crowd and people naturally gravitate toward him. The number people he has helped in this community is vast and numerous. He is a loyal and dedicated friend and I am honored to consider him one of my closest friends.” Janice Hayes.
“There are those individuals whose path you cross, and you regret the day that you met them, Guy is not one of those individuals. There are individuals who you have met that have earned the respect and admiration from colleagues and business leaders, Guy is one of those individuals. Keeping it real, Guy Wheeler to most but to me he will always be Guy Woodside, my brother, my friend my compadre. Who else will give you a hand up on the one hand, then turn around and say “you’re not completely useless? You can always serve as a bad example” (lol). I often remind Guy that back in the day (grammar school) I use to beat him up, but the truth is Guy is one of those rare individuals that inspire other to be a better version of themselves. To my friend Guy stay well and continue to inspire other as GOD has given you a mission and vision.” — Melvin Parrish
“Dr. Guy Wheeler was for a brief period of time my counselor at BARC. Later he actually mentored me in obtaining my certification as an addiction professional. Dr. Wheeler has an unselfish ego, Godly presence who finds a way to help and assist any individual in being all they can be. If you ask anyone in Broward County who was instrumental in their successful recovery… Dr. Guy Wheeler is going to be the first and perhaps the only one that is mentioned. He is a brilliant homeboy who is ordained to help his homeboys. I consider Dr. Wheeler to be one of God’s greatest natural resources!!!” Thomas Walker, Jr.
“I have known Guy Wheeler for close to 60 years. Our parents attended college together at FAMU.
Guy is a caring and Christian man with a heart of gold. He stands out in a crowd and people naturally gravitate toward him. The number people he has helped in this community is vast and numerous. He is a loyal and dedicated friend and I am honored to consider him one of my closest friends.” Deetra Durham
The following is a brief synopsis of the plethora of accomplishments and contributions Guy Anthony Wheeler has made locally, throughout Florida, and nationwide.
Guy Wheeler is one of the most progressive thinkers of the 21st Century in the arena of cultural and spiritual relevance relating to mental health and substance-use in communities of color. His insightful, innovative, and intuitive assessments led to one of the most interesting and effective ideologies to address the disparities in successful treatment modalities. His perceptiveness is eclipsed only by his genuine passion to help people.
Guy and his friend, Darryl Turpin developed the Habilitation Empowerment Accountability Therapy (H.E.A.T.) program. Its designed to provide a culturally responsive and spiritually relevant treatment program for young African American men involved in the justice system. Recently, they designed a similar program for women called Habilitation Empowerment Recovery (H.E.R.). Both were developed to address the complex and devastating effects of systemic racism, socio-economic barriers to successful outcomes for this particular population.
Guy and Darryl refuted commonly held myths, stereotypes, and misconceptions regarding the effectiveness of treatment in the Black community. Instead, they challenged themselves to explore the efficacy of intervention that integrate cultural and spiritual principles.
“One might think that with all of his accomplishments and his ability to pick up the phone and call a number of celebrities Guy would be a stand offish person however he’s anything but that. From a prayer warrior to a brother that if the need arises he will put his hands on you to give you some uplift and some get back. In the dictionary beside the word servant you will see the picture of Guy Anthony Woodside Wheeler a true friend.” Bobby R. Henry; Sr.
I am immensely proud of Guy and Darryl for the national recognition they earn with their Habilitation programs. Guy has also made a positive impact on the local community by providing exceptional counseling services and programs through his company, Justice for Life. As a result of his phenomenal counseling, many young men and women have changed their lives and are now living productively. I have known Guy Wheeler since kindergarten, and he has always been a good friend and positive force in my life.
