I was a pretty lost kid in high school. My oldest brother was hit by a car crossing a street when I was 11 years old and it figuratively ripped my family apart. I'm #6 of 11 children. Dan was hospitalized for 3 years in a vegetative state and finally moved into our house when I was 14. My mom was always a stay at home mother before my dad left. I was 12 or 13 when that happened. He couldn't support all of us, especially not a "cripple." So he bailed on us and moved where he could find work. My oldest sister ran away and became a hippie nomad. The other 3 older ones all became drug dealers. I was right at that age (14-15) where I was expected to start making money. It was either A) I become a drug dealer like my brothers or B) I do it the honest way. I chose the latter and started milking cows and doing yardwork for my neighbor. The whole time this was going on, my brothers were in and out of jail and I was more and more tempted to follow in their path but I refused. Every night I came home I would listen to my mom and little siblings praying and stuff and it was really tough for me because I didn't know what to believe in. The only thing I could believe in was music and soccer. It was the only thing I had enjoyed in life up to that point. My oldest brother can't walk or talk or speak or eat for himself, but he smiled when we listened to music so I know he liked it when I played the same music we used to jam to in his room when I was a little kid. I've never grown away from it. That music means so much to me I cannot express it in words. This place just became major PL and I'm sorry. I've just wanted to type that for a long time. I'll go back to not knowing who these bands are. I'm content with not knowing, haha. |
I don't know what to say but I had to say something because it's stories like these that really inspire me. Seriously brought a tear to my eye. Makes me feel like my problems are so insignificant when I really look at it. You're such a great person and it's so awesome that you have a wife, two beautiful kids, and the dedication to our military and were able to make something beautiful out of something that seemed bleak. Really happy for you.
And yeah, this is a soccer thread...but, not to sound corny, we really are like an extended family. I know so many people from this website over the last seven years of posting that I feel so close with, and in this thread I feel like I've known a lot of you guys my whole life. Don't ever hold back. We joke around and we debate and argue and all, but when it comes down to it, we really are like a family. It's cathartic to talk about these things sometimes.
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