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Dear Twitter: Please help me reach my goal of 1M Retweets to extend hope, encouragement, motivation, confidence, and inspiration to all who struggle with a mental disorder, all underprivileged youth across America, and all adults 1/ #confidence 
who consider themselves counted out by society and believe they can never accomplish anything worthwhile. This story is for you! 👉I was ushered from under center, out of my starting QB position, out of my junior yr. in high school and thrown into a prison cell. #inspiration /2
While my classmates walked the stage I was walking the prison yard shocked from hearing the news of my mother's untimely death. Suffering from Bipolar, I couldn't understand it all and no longer wanted to live. My suicidal tendencies evolved and I resolved to a life of /3
gangs and selling drugs. Less than 18 mnths later I was back in prison for the second time at age 20 and ended up doing 4 years flat. Released but in the grips of a downward spiral, my lifestyle escalated until another 18 mnths later I was indicted by the F.B.I. /4
At age 24 I was indicted and stomped with a 139 month sentence. 3 months into the sentence my first child was born, a daughter who I wouldn't meet until 10 yrs later. Throughout the madness, something my dad had told me never left my mind and I've always held onto.. /5
My dad told me to never neglect getting an education because knowledge is one thing that no one would ever be able to take from me. Less than a year after being released I lost my dad to cancer. I decided I wanted to live and vowed to make a change... #motivation /6
I finally decided to take my mental health seriously. A series of interrelated events in my fate kept me working with computers and inquisitive about hacking. I embarked on an #infosec journey that has thus far introduced me to a life that at one time, everyone told me would /7
never be possible. Since I discovered #infosec I've obtained so many certs I've lost count, 2 degrees from two different colleges and universities, married the mother of my kids and haven't been in "any" trouble with the law in 17 years. /8
What I've given to you is the short version, edited for my Twitter timeline. I hope that from this you've gained a bit of hope, light, inspiration, confidence, encouragement, a will to live, but most importantly an example to ensure you that...it's not impossible. Thanx. Plz RT!
