Theo Fleury is driving through western Canada on a chilly spring morning. With a hand on the wheel, he roams effortlessly through mountains of jagged topics: childhood trauma, years of addiction, and how he was sexually abused as a teenager by his hockey coach.

After stopping for coffee, Fleury returns to the road and the previous conversation without hesitation. He decries the stigma attached to mental illness. He describes his joy in helping others find mental wellness. He reveals that he will remain in therapy for the rest of this life – and how he is fine with that.

For hockey fans who perhaps lost track of Fleury’s story in recent years, these talking points may seem surprising. Between 1988 and 2003, the 5-foot-6-inch winger sniped 455 goals in the NHL and amassed 1,840 penalty minutes. His teams won a Stanley Cup and Olympic gold before the NHL ultimately suspended him twice for substance abuse, ending his pro career.

The lasting image of Fleury on the ice: A fast, feisty playmaker with a wry smile, deft hands and darting eyes sometimes blackened by fresh punches. Secret reasons may have fueled much of that famous fury.

Now, listen to Fleury today, at age 50:

“The more vulnerable you are, I believe the more healing you can get to. When we find our voice and we tell our stories, that’s the epitome of being vulnerable,” says Fleury, who lives in Calgary, Alberta.

“What happens is, vulnerability creates safety. And when you have safety, that’s when the true magic of healing happens.”

Theo Fleury 2.0 is a mental health advocate and motivational speaker who travels throughout Canada and the U.S. to share his raw story with audiences, holding conversations, hosting workshops and offering a living example of hope and recovery.

His stated mission is to help people overcome obstacles “by igniting leadership, action and resilience from within.” He has authored two books to guide those experiencing trauma. He has earned four humanitarian awards. He has received two honorary doctorate degrees for his mental health work. He performs country music. And he has been sober for more than 13 years.

“The best work I’ve done in my life is with people who have had the same experience as me,” he says. “I’ve made the greatest strides – and I think a lot of people would say they’ve made the greatest strides – being involved in a community or a group that shares this struggle with mental health.”

This spring, Fleury is adding yet another dimension to that work, a tool to broaden his message and deepen his conversations. He has partnered with iRel8, a mobile app that connects people in an anonymous, peer-to-peer forum, enabling users anywhere to access the power of in-person therapy groups. iRel8 has similarly partnered with artists and military veterans.

Built with Visual Studio Code, iRel8 was recently migrated to Microsoft Azure to reach more people globally and grow with innovation. The app is available in 54 languages through the Microsoft Translator API in Azure Cognitive Services. Its co-founders plan to use Microsoft Artificial Intelligence (AI) to eradicate inappropriate comments, should those emerge as the network expands.

“I’m a huge believer of building healthy, safe communities and, until now, I haven’t seen any technology that could bring so many people together,” Fleury says. “I also love how they can use AI to help detect and block social media bullies, keeping it a safe community.”