The second interviewee that we will be talking to is another man that has had a challenging life. With the help of the Other Side Academy and many loving and supporting people, he has changed his life in such a dramatic and amazing way. Allow me to introduce you to Dylan Gibson. Meet Dylan Gibson, Program Staff, Born in Salt Lake City, UT. He is the youngest of 4 brothers and always strived to be like his older siblings, no matter what it took. Dylan constantly struggled to fit the mold of his older brothers and started compromising at a young age to look good rather than be good. "At the young age of 8, I witnessed emotional, mental, and physical abuse between my parents, my dad put my mom through a glass window, soon thereafter they divorced. The family dynamic split up, I was raised by my mother, who was struggling with her own alcoholism and barely putting food on the table. My older brother started experimenting with drug abuse, and my circle of influence was completely rattled and I started compromising at a young age. My mother was soon bankrupt, and my older brother was in rehab. My Dad saw this happening and took me back in. At this time, I had structure, responsibilities, was active in school, and began playing extracurricular activities, which I excelled in. State soccer champion, active in various school activities, I had my life on a good path. At the age of 15, during a seminary class, I offered the opening prayer and was completely embarrassed, and instead of pushing myself to do the hard thing, I chose the easy way out and dropped out of seminary. This pivotal moment changed the trajectory of my life. Soon thereafter, with the friends I had chosen to be involved with, I injured my back snowboarding and was prescribed oxycontin, and for someone like me, that turned to heroin really quick. Because of the people I was influenced by, I was able to compromise. Once I became addicted to heroin, everything and anything I had accomplished in my life were shattered. In between 52 jail stays, 3 prison terms, totaling 9 years incarcerated, and 9 years living on the streets, I was facing another life sentence, and while being locked up and at my very rock bottom, I had heard about The Other Side Academy. After soul searching and prayer, I knew this would be the hardest decision of my life. I wrote the letter and was accepted to The Other Side Academy. Since being here, I have learned to make hard decisions. Today I am a man with integrity, honesty, boundaries, making it about others, I am currently a hired program staff member, with many responsibilities. Today I dedicate my life to saving others who were just like me, broken and lost. I make it my life mission to constantly be around a positive circle of influence, surrounded by great leaders."www.scfut.org
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