I was asked to write an article for the “Stories that Inspire” section of this website. Wow. I never thought I would have made it to a point where I could inspire and be in a position where I could share my story. I have no way of telling how you wandered to this site and then this article, but I hope you find the support you’re looking for, as well as the words you need to hear to carry on. Read more »

Like many people my age, I come from a blended family. There’s my mom, step-dad, step-sister, my two brothers and me. I was six when my mom got remarried and I am now 22. While it was challenging growing up in a blended family, it was rewarding, too. Looking back now, I wouldn’t trade my situation because, in the end, it gave me my family, and I wouldn’t change my family for anything in the world. Read more »

I’ve always felt emotions so deeply, seemingly much more than others. Anxiety found me even as a child. I’d cry hysterically to my mom because I was afraid of death and feel sick to my stomach for weeks before sleep away camp. Once my teenage years hit, the darkness of depression started to seep in. These intense emotions were frightening, and so I hid them away. Read more »