No Days Off

Max Domi is an NHL hockey player, who also has type 1 diabetes. He currently plays for the Montreal Canadiens. His dad, Tie Domi, played several seasons, most notably as a tough guy for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Max’s book, No Days Off, was published in 2019 and is a memoir that takes readers from his childhood years and diabetes diagnosis to being drafted into the NHL.

Max Domi makes it very clear that he is grateful to have a father who played in the NHL. Another point of emphasis for Max is that he doesn’t want to ride his father’s coattails; he wants to find success on his own merits. Even without a chronic illness like diabetes, Max would have had to fight through the constant voices of doubters, claiming he is only on the team because of his dad. Max discusses how this affected him, and his two sisters, throughout their lives.

Diabetes, either type 1 or type 2, affects so many people in the world. It is hard to find a person who isn’t directly affected by this illness. Many people with diabetes go on to accomplish extraordinary things, but to succeed as Max has is truly remarkable. With a chronic illness like diabetes, as Max insinuates with the title, you don’t get to take time off; the disease is with you every day.

Max Domi is now a member of the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL. His famous NHLer father, Tie Domi, has given up the blue and white maple leaf in favour of the “rouge, bleu, et blanc”. Max’s book No Days Off is a great memoir that examines how you can achieve your goals, despite great obstacles in your path. I also appreciated how he humanized these professional athletes, talking about how they used to take the time to ask him how his PeeWee team was doing. Max is an inspiration to any youngster looking to follow their dreams, especially a kid who is dealing with a chronic illness.