I didn’t always see a future for myself.
In high school, my life was defined by poor choices—partying, drug use, and decisions that put me on a dangerous path. I grew up in a difficult environment, surrounded by instability and exposed to things no child should experience. By the time I was a teenager, I was already struggling to find direction.
Eventually, those choices caught up with me. Shortly after graduating high school, I was arrested. I spent seven and a half months in jail waiting to be sentenced, facing the possibility of up to 20 years in prison. During that time, everything changed.
I remember standing there, looking through a window at the outside world—at something as simple as grass—knowing I couldn’t even touch it. In that moment, I realized how much I had taken for granted. I made a promise to myself: if I was given a second chance, I would do whatever it took to build a better life.
When I was released, that promise became my driving force. Starting over wasn’t easy—I had created a lot of challenges for myself. But I went to work immediately and applied to college as soon as I could. I knew education was my opportunity to do things differently.
Lake-Sumter State College became the turning point in my life.
For the first time, I wasn’t defined by my past. I was seen as someone with potential, someone worth investing in. The support I received—especially through the foundation—made it possible for me to keep moving forward. Walking onto campus felt like a fresh start. It gave me hope that a better future was not only possible, but within reach.
That opportunity changed everything.
Today, I co-own a successful business—something I never thought I would achieve. I met my wife at Lake-Sumter, and she has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. Together, we’ve built a future I once believed was out of reach.
None of this would have been possible without people who chose to give.
If I could say one thing to donors, it would be this: your support truly changes lives. Not in an abstract way—but in real, lasting, life-altering ways. You are giving people like me a second chance, a path forward, and the belief that we can become more than our past.
I may be just one story—but there are so many others.
And because of you, those stories don’t end where they began.
They begin again.