Society

I didn't grow up in a house with routines or structure. There wasn't someone standing over my shoulder showing me how to dress, how to carry myself, or how to take pride in the little things. I learned to iron my clothes by watching movies. Old-school characters who looked sharp, stood tall, and seemed like they had it all together....

There's something about old trucks that just makes sense to me. The creak of the door, the way the engine rumbles before it settles, the fact that nothing is automated but everything is solid. It's not just nostalgia. It's connection. Simplicity. Purpose.

I was 17 years old, standing on the side of a road in South Texas, stomach in knots, thinking, This is it. I'm in real trouble now.

Some people carry lucky coins. Others keep a photo or a keychain that reminds them where they came from. Me? I carry a pocketknife.

Before I ever stepped into a boardroom or led safety teams across hospitals and construction sites, I spent a summer in a place most people wouldn't think of as a classroom: a lifeguard stand.