Life has thrown me countless curveballs, and figuring out my purpose has been challenging. Like many people, my spiritual journey has had its highs and lows. I was raised in the church and baptized as a teenager after a week of catechism, but looking back, my faith wasn’t built on a solid foundation. My parents guided me toward it, and for years, I claimed to be a Christian because of that baptism. But deep down, it wasn’t a personal conviction but something I inherited.
I am a recovering alcoholic and drug user, but my first marriage was to another alcoholic. Although our marriage only lasted 18 months, she had a part in the accident and the life I live today. I’ve realized that some of my life's darkest and brightest moments stemmed from a single event, though the effects have lasted over 28 years.
In the summer of 1995, I woke up in a yard, completely unaware of where I was. My mother told me I had been in a serious accident and was now at MetroHealth Hospital in Cleveland, OH. At the time, I was 32 years old, struggling with alcohol, and the details of the accident were unknown. I had fallen from a second-story deck, landing on my face. My injuries were severe—my left eye had been detached and was lodged into my nasal cavity, my eye socket was crushed, and my left leg was badly damaged. I was life-flighted to the hospital. The doctors weren’t hopeful about my recovery. I spent six weeks in a coma and two months in the hospital, and while I don’t remember much of that time, perhaps it’s for the best.When I returned home, I moved in with my parents. My mind was foggy from the traumatic brain injury (TBI) I had suffered, and my thoughts didn’t feel like my own. My days were filled with television, and I had little connection to the world around me. It was as if another voice had taken over my thoughts for a long time, controlling my emotions and reactions. It took years for me to start feeling like myself again. In the meantime, I wore glasses with prisms to correct my vision and wore a patch to train my injured eye, all while my mind functioned at the level of a child.
After a year, my rehabilitation doctor suggested I take a keyboarding class to improve my hand-eye coordination. Before the accident, I had worked as a lumber inspector, but the doctor doubted I would ever return to that career. So, my parents enrolled me in a Keyboarding 101 class at Akron University’s Orrville campus. The hope was that this small step could aid my recovery.
Dealing with TBI brought challenges—especially with my temper. If something upset me, I didn’t just get irritated; my anger was immediate and intense. My parents warned the school to remove me if I became agitated, but thankfully, that never happened. I completed the class with above-average grades and no mood issues, a victory considering the lack of TBI rehabilitation programs at the time.
Encouraged by my progress, my parents and doctors decided I should take another class. It was English 101, and again, I did well. They decided I could aim higher. I enrolled in a Computer Service with Networking Technology Associate degree program. With the support of my brother, who worked in IT, and my mother, who helped with coursework, I dove into my studies. My journey was far from easy, but it was part of a greater plan—a story of healing and perseverance.
During college, I kept to myself, only talking to teachers and tutors to better understand the material. My psychologist suggested I get an AOL account to help me interact with people online. My parents agreed, and while I got the account, I mostly used it to learn about computers.
By this point, my mind and vision had improved, and the doctors even cleared me to drive again. This moment marked the beginning of my journey as a philomath—a lover of learning. I soon realized I was also an introvert, explaining why I always preferred solitude.
Despite being an introvert, I did eventually use the internet for more than just learning. I met my future wife online while I was in school. She was a Cleveland police officer, and I was a struggling student trying to rebuild my life. By then, I had been sober for two years, partly out of fear after my accident. But soon, the cravings for alcohol returned. She drank like anyone else, but I couldn’t handle it in moderation.
After three years of dating, we decided to get married. One day, she had enough of my drinking and told me it was time to stop. Miraculously, I did. I didn’t touch alcohol for the next 20 years.
Once I graduated, I landed a job at MetroHealth through the Robert Half consulting firm, working in their Information Services department. My background in IT, along with my certifications, helped me secure a full-time position. For the next five years, I used MetroHealth’s tuition reimbursement program to earn my bachelor’s degree, one class at a time. Eventually, I became a Server Engineer and led their email system.
After 12 years at MetroHealth, I considered retirement through the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System. I had always wanted to teach IT but preferred to work with adults, so I knew I needed a Master’s degree to teach at the college level. Since I developed a love for learning, I returned to school and earned my MBA.
With my MBA and IT experience, I found a new role at Better Health Partnership (BHP), a nonprofit organization that allowed me to combine my passion for technology and healthcare, but I remained a MetroHealth employee.
However, shortly after I started at BHP, my wife noticed a small spot on her stomach. At first, we thought it was related to her bariatric surgery, but it turned out to be cancer. She underwent surgery in December 2016 and passed away in March 2017. Her death was heartbreaking, and the months leading up to it were filled with unimaginable suffering. The grief overwhelmed me, and I turned back to alcohol.
My drinking spiraled out of control. I was hospitalized twice with bleeding ulcers, nearly bleeding out the second time. I went in and out of rehabilitation centers, struggling to regain control. I only have my job today because of the CEO at BHP. She showed me a level of care and support I didn’t deserve but desperately needed. Her kindness helped me hold on when I was at my lowest.
Looking back, I can see how God’s grace carried me through those dark times. My journey, from alcohol addiction to surviving a traumatic brain injury, has shaped me into the person I am today. Every challenge I faced brought me closer to God’s purpose for my life. Even when I strayed, His grace led me back to a path of healing, hope, and purpose.