GTCC helped save my life. At 18, I joined the military, and as a result, suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Left untreated, it contributed to a tumultuous twenty years. On August 7, 2013, I woke up in a hospital, suffering a traumatic brain injury from a car accident. I moved to my sister’s house to recover and was immobilized for eight months. I lost my clothes, house and job, and felt like I was losing my mind.   

I realized I had two options: continue to obsess over things (how I had measured my life), or let go and reevaluate what was important. My whole life had been centered in one form or another around taking. Working in sales I was congratulated for how well I took. I did not want this to be my legacy. I wanted to help people. GTCC provided me a conduit to channel my energy to overcome obstacles and become “a giver” to my community. I now work at a 24-hour group home helping at-risk youth and volunteer at Open Door Ministries. Thanks to GTCC, I will no longer be a taker, and upon graduation will make a greater impact as a giver in my community.