Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.”

— Habakkuk 2:2

My Story

I am living proof that your beginning does not have to determine your future.

By every statistic, I should have become another outcome of the system — incarcerated, homeless, or permanently defined by generational trauma. But my story didn’t end there. Instead, I became a Doctor, a healthcare leader, and a purpose-driven voice for those still searching for their way forward.

I am the second of nine children, born in the 1980s and raised through the turbulence of the 1990s — a decade deeply impacted by the crack cocaine epidemic that devastated communities across America. Like many families during that era, mine was not untouched. My mother became one of its victims, and my childhood was shaped by instability, hardship, and survival long before I ever had the words to describe it.

I also grew up without a relationship with my biological father — an absence that left unanswered questions and a longing for the kind of stability many children never have to think about. Like so many who come from broken beginnings, I learned early how to navigate life without the support and foundation others often take for granted.

Much of my childhood was marked by constant transition — moving from place to place, living in different foster homes, and changing schools more times than I could count. With each move came more disruption, more uncertainty, and the feeling of never fully being rooted anywhere. Eventually, I aged out of the foster care system, stepping into adulthood carrying both the weight of survival and the deep desire to build a life that would look completely different from the one I inherited.

My journey includes hardships many never overcome. I completed only the ninth grade before becoming a high school dropout. I encountered the criminal justice system firsthand. I made mistakes. I faced consequences that could have ended my story.

But I refused to stay there. As an adult, I returned to education, earned my GED, and began rebuilding my life from the ground up through faith, discipline, and an unshakable desire for something more.

Today, I hold multiple graduate degrees, I earned my Doctor of Chiropractic degree, and I am currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership. Through my work in healthcare and my platform Beyond Black & White, I speak with honesty, depth, and lived experience about identity, trauma, transformation, and what it truly means to rise beyond your past.

But beyond the titles and accomplishments, I am also a husband and a father. I am proudly married to my wife, Samantha, and together we are raising six children, along with our beloved dog and cat. Our home is filled with faith, laughter, resilience, and purpose — a reflection of the life I once dreamed of, but never thought was possible.

As a family, we share a deep love for travel and meaningful experiences together. From unforgettable trips to Walt Disney World in Orlando to the joy of Disney cruising, we believe in creating moments that remind us life is not only about what we survive — but also what we build, celebrate, and pass forward.

My message is simple, but powerful:

Your past may explain you — but it does not have to define you.