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I was just a normal kid living in Florida. I loved watching cartoons in the mornings before I went to school. I would go outside to play, and I would rewatch the same Cars 1 movie every day until I drove my parents crazy. I never would have thought anything could happen to our family.

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One night it was dark in my room, and it was time for me to go to sleep, but I couldn't get over the yelling of my parents down the hall. It slowly got closer and closer until I saw it. My mother was getting thrown through my door, and I was horrified. I thought I was having a nightmare. My parents were still arguing, but then my drunk dad grabbed me and took me to my parents' room. My mother was begging him to stop. That's when I saw another person in their bed. I was too young to understand what was going on at the time, but I knew it was not good. My mother then called the cops, and the last thing I saw of my father that night was him running out the back door. This was the start of a hard path but also the start of a path that would help me grow.

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I was sitting down at the dining table when they told me they were divorcing. I was devastated. I ran into the kitchen sobbing till I felt I couldn't breathe. After the divorce was finalized, I got to see my father on the weekends. He lived in a small apartment with a pool and a park. For the rest of the week, I lived with my mom. She lived in a condo within walking distance of the beach.

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To cope with the divorce, I would eat to make myself feel better and play video games to pass the time. Neither of those was a great way to cope, and I slowly became overweight and very unproductive. I wouldn't want to do any schoolwork. It was a very tough time in my life. I needed a positive influence.

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Then my stepfather came into the picture. I originally hated him because he wasn't my dad, but he tried to act as one for me. I didn't see it then, but he was just trying to help me become a more capable person.

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Then my stepfather came into the picture. I originally hated him because he wasn't my dad, but he tried to act as one for me. I didn't see it then, but he was just trying to help me become a more capable person. I would complain when he forced me to run with him because I thought it was pointless, not knowing he was trying to help me get healthier. I would hate it when he would make me lift weights, not knowing he was trying to make me stronger. He helped to encourage and support me in my interests, like guitar, shooting, Boy Scouts, and wrestling.

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My stepfather used to do wrestling, which prompted him to encourage me. He bought me my first pair of wrestling shoes and headgear. Ever since I started wrestling, he has been at every match, cheering me on. Wrestling has given me confidence and has taught me to persevere. I have met many great friends through wrestling.

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My stepfather helped encourage me to start playing an instrument. At first, I was skeptical because I had never tried to play an instrument. But when he bought me my first guitar, it became a way to get rid of stress. Because my stepfather pushed me to play the guitar, I gained new friends and opportunities. I was able to play in a band with my friends and play music for people.

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I was confused about why my stepfather signed me up for Boy Scouts, not knowing he was setting me up to have leadership experience, learn skills about the outdoors, learn skills about the real world, see beautiful things in nature, and get service hours from organizations that needed help. Because of scouts, I've met many people across the country and seen places I wouldn't have otherwise. Scouting has taught me how to be a leader and has given me many opportunities.

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Looking back now, the whole experience was painful, but the positive influence in my life helped me realize that the boost I needed can come from unexpected places. My parents' divorce was a challenging experience, but it helped me to grow into a better person. I now realize that my stepfather didn't only help me cope, he pushed me in a way to gain more opportunities. He pushed me to make a more memorable life with hobbies. I was no longer an angry and lost kid. Everything in life has a reason, and I believe that my parents' divorce happened for a reason.