Jonathan Raymond: Tell Me Your Sports Story

The story of Centre Multisports and this magazine is also the story of partners who inspire us to improve our lives.

In this new series, Tell Me Your Sports Story, we invite one of these partners to share their journey through a team member whose dedication, actions, and sports journey have inspired others. Today, we stop at Avantage Ford in Île-Perrot to hear the story of Jonathan Raymond—a St-Lazare resident, sales representative, and proud Centre Multisports member—whose life changed drastically in 2006.

From Immobilized to Empowered

When he trains, Jonathan Raymond breathes hard, sweats, and suffers—but likely enjoys life more than most. In 2006, a workplace accident severely impacted his back—and his life: “It felt like a snapped elastic in my lower back, and then a hot liquid running down,” he recounts about the moment he lifted one box too many.

What followed was a nightmare: three herniated discs, a fractured vertebra, a congenital malformation, a degenerative disc disease, and visits to countless specialists. On the brink of surgery that could have left him paralyzed, he was instead prescribed cortisone and morphine—resulting in depression, physical dependency, and a slow, painful recovery over 18 months. With the help of his close friend Mario, he gradually rebuilt himself. Encouraged to explore a career in car sales, he joined Avantage Ford and—one day—walked into Centre Multisports.

A Man on a Mission

Meanwhile, the very friend who helped him, Mario, fell ill with leukemia and psoriasis. Now living with Jonathan, Mario inspired a renewed determination: “Seeing him like that, I promised I’d never do that to myself,” Jonathan explains. “I promised to give myself the gift of life. I’m a man on a mission.”

Jonathan was instrumental in connecting Centre Multisports with his employer, helping establish a corporate discount program for Ford employees. “Today, you look at him and see someone in better shape than most of the team,” says Giovanni Evangelista, the dealership director. “He’s come a long way. For us, he’s the best example of why the Centre exists.”

A sports story isn't just about sweat and muscle. It’s built on resilience and the inspiration of those who live it.