“I strive to help others overcome the lasting effects of losing a loved one to suicide”
Growing up in Taos, Missouri, I was raised in a small town with a loving family that gave me every chance to succeed. My parents were supportive and provided everything my 17 year-old self desired. That is until my life changed forever on May 8, 2003, when my dad unexpectedly passed away by suicide leaving me, my mother and two younger sisters behind.
Losing my father to suicide left me with overwhelming feelings of abandonment, shame, confusion, anger, and deep sadness. Because of all of these feelings, I lost much of my self-confidence,I was indecisive often, and I would over think almost every situation. This impacted my ability to become my best and truest self. It took me longer to accept who I was and realize that I am enough! I was attached to external outcomes and I allowed those things to determine my actions which, in many cases, held me back as well.
When I became a husband and a father, I realized it was time to face my wounds and my fears. I took a deep dive inward and realized that in order to move forward, I had to not only forgive my father but myself as well. I started reading books like “The Code of the Extraordinary Mind” by Vishen Lakhiani, “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, “The Science of Getting Rich” by Wallace Wattles and listening to the work of Bob Proctor. I have become a lifelong student of the mind and the power it holds within each and every one of us. I have learned that the only limitations we have in life are the ones we put on ourselves and that by constantly studying and loving who I am, I can show up in the world as the person I was meant to become.
Through hard work, dedication, and a strong faith in God, I am now a certified teacher, accomplished basketball coach, inspiring author and transformational speaker. However, more importantly, I am God’s highest form of creation, and I want everything I do to be a pure expression of His greatness within me.
My dedication to positively impacting the lives of those around me inspired the hashtag #ACT2IMPACT which serves as a reminder that we all can make a difference. I am a Missouri State alum, who is dedicated to being a loving husband and father. I strive to help others overcome the lasting effects of losing a loved one to suicide. I am currently on the board for the USSI (United Suicide Survivors International) alongside world-renowned entrepreneur and innovator in social change and suicide prevention, Dr. Sally Spencer Thomas. Along with others around the world, I am raising awareness that suicide doesn’t stop life from getting worse, it eliminates it from ever getting better.
My name is Jason and I am UNCrushed.
