Speaking
Educating Our Youth
01/19/10 07:02 PM
My mother always told me life was a journey.
"You will experience good times and difficult times," she explained, "but it is how you respond to them that will shape you into the man God intended."
Being a rebellious teen who thought I knew more than my mom, I chose not to listen.
Growing up, I was very fortunate. I came from a home that was filled with unconditional love and constant support. My parents instilled in us at a very early age that we could do anything we set our minds to. Surrounded by this type of positive reinforcement helped us live without the pressures many kids struggled with, allowing to experience fun, carefree lives.
All of that changed for me on July 22, 1993. On that day, two friends died in an unthinkable accident. That fun, carefree life I had taken for granted was now replaced with confusion, sadness, and most of all, anger. This was one of the difficult times my mother warned me about, and it is how I responded that lead me down a path filled with alcohol and drug abuse.
For many years following the deaths of my friends, I self-medicated to ease the pain. Trying to grasp why God took two beautiful souls from people who loved them so much was too difficult to deal with. Drugs and alcohol soon became habit, and any painful emotion that surfaced was buried by substance.
In 2004 I surrendered. I finally accepted that I needed to make permanent changes in my life. It was time to start living as “the man God intended.” Fortunately, Falmouth is such a wonderful community, especially in terms of recovery, so I had a lot of assistance and guidance.
My goal then was to write this book. It was a very cathartic process. Now, I want to share my experiences with young kids who are at a crossroads in their lives. Ted and I would love to give talks, in a realistic manner, at high schools and colleges. Everyone has suffered an overwhelming loss, but you do not have to suffer alone. There are healthy ways to overcome these tragedies.
If you are a high school, university, or organization and would like to have Ted and me come and speak to you, you can start booking us now.
"You will experience good times and difficult times," she explained, "but it is how you respond to them that will shape you into the man God intended."
Being a rebellious teen who thought I knew more than my mom, I chose not to listen.
Growing up, I was very fortunate. I came from a home that was filled with unconditional love and constant support. My parents instilled in us at a very early age that we could do anything we set our minds to. Surrounded by this type of positive reinforcement helped us live without the pressures many kids struggled with, allowing to experience fun, carefree lives.
All of that changed for me on July 22, 1993. On that day, two friends died in an unthinkable accident. That fun, carefree life I had taken for granted was now replaced with confusion, sadness, and most of all, anger. This was one of the difficult times my mother warned me about, and it is how I responded that lead me down a path filled with alcohol and drug abuse.
For many years following the deaths of my friends, I self-medicated to ease the pain. Trying to grasp why God took two beautiful souls from people who loved them so much was too difficult to deal with. Drugs and alcohol soon became habit, and any painful emotion that surfaced was buried by substance.
In 2004 I surrendered. I finally accepted that I needed to make permanent changes in my life. It was time to start living as “the man God intended.” Fortunately, Falmouth is such a wonderful community, especially in terms of recovery, so I had a lot of assistance and guidance.
My goal then was to write this book. It was a very cathartic process. Now, I want to share my experiences with young kids who are at a crossroads in their lives. Ted and I would love to give talks, in a realistic manner, at high schools and colleges. Everyone has suffered an overwhelming loss, but you do not have to suffer alone. There are healthy ways to overcome these tragedies.
If you are a high school, university, or organization and would like to have Ted and me come and speak to you, you can start booking us now.
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