I was born and raised in The Bronx, New York, and the oldest of three siblings. While my upbringing was far from the best, I come from a good family that had many struggles with drug addiction, alcohol, physical and sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Coming from this type of familial demographic, my early coping skills and abilities were primitive at best. As a result, I have made some unfavorable life choices that have come with even more unfavorable consequences. But who I was as a person then, is not indicative of who I am today. Today, I am a college graduate, a man of faith, and a father of four wonderful children (two girls and two boys), and grandfather of four (three girls and one boy).  I have spent a small portion of my life in Savannah, Georgia, where I went to grade school for several years. I have also lived a good portion of my adult life in Maine, where I received my higher education from Southern Maine Community College, and The University of Maine at Farmington, where I graduated with honors from both schools. I completed my internship at Christian Care, a men's homeless shelter in Rock Island, Illinois which was an excellent learning experience in working with underserved populations. I am currently in the process of relocating to the Houston, Texas area to be closer to my children, and I am very excited to see what the future holds for me in this new place I have chosen to make home. Having completed my bachelor’s degree in December 2018, it has always been my goal to use my education, coupled with my personal experiences, to help other people, as people have helped me in the past. Ultimately, I would like to work in any capacity that will simply allow me to help others overcome some of life’s challenges, and not make some of the crucial mistakes I have made in my own life. Having been through as much as I have in my life, I truly believe I have a lot to offer, and that I am a great value in this regard and seek only an opportunity to demonstrate that. The commitment to using the lessons I have learned from all aspects of my life’s experiences to help others has become my life's purpose and guiding principle.