Health-care workers found Shappa lying in the street of Arctic Bay. He was medevaced to Iqaluit then to Montreal, and spent nearly two years in rehabilitation.

"I had a lot of problems with memory. I secluded myself because I was scared to go anywhere outside of my room and the bathroom," he said.

He was afraid people would take advantage of his memory loss and claim he owed them money. Shappa said on a couple of occasions he would empty his pockets because he could not remember whether he owed anyone anything.

Shappa said he spent most of his time watching TV. "I gained so much weight. I was between 220-250 pounds. I was really big."

It was only when he began volunteering at Inuujaq school in Arctic Bay that he truly started to recover. Shappa helped teachers in their classrooms and discovered aerobics.

"I went to every class they offered at the school. My weight dropped quickly," he said.

In Sept. 2002, Shappa moved from his hometown of Arctic Bay to Iqaluit, where most of his family now lives. He has a steady job in sales.

He now follows a daily routine.

"I write down the important stuff like doctors' appointments, dentist appointments and my work schedule. If I don't look at the schedule everyday, I'm screwed," he said.

Shappa said he is thankful for the life he's had despite the hard times. He's getting out there and accomplishing his goals. He successfully completed a degree in media communications at Nunavut Arctic College two years ago. He's a member of Nunavut Youth Consulting and volunteers to help people with their income taxes.

Shappa says he's glad to have a second chance.