My story starts in California.
My brother Daniel and I lived the first few years of our lives with our grandparents, sheltered from the dysfunction and chaos that was my parents' relationship. My birth father was schizophrenic. He stopped his medication when Daniel and I were just toddlers. He chose to use hard drugs instead and deteriorated quickly. The living situation with him in my life was no longer safe for my brother and mom. Their marriage ended in a divorce fighting over our custody. This created a void in my heart that I didn’t especially understand at the time, but grew over the years.
After a couple of years, my mom met my stepdad. They married and he adopted Daniel and me. My stepdad later received an incredible job opportunity in Frisco, Texas shortly after having my first half-brother Ethan. We packed up our lives and moved to Texas. I was 9 years old and was becoming more aware of the complicated situations around me.
My parents decided to have 2 more children, Liam and Preston. The job opportunity was great financially but my stepdad would leave for months at a time. While he was away, it became my sole responsibility, (outside of school,) to help my mom take care of two toddlers and a newborn. This role became emotionally and physically draining. When My stepdad returned from his long trips, the toxicity of his relationship with my mom grew and became more obvious. I remember crying in my bed, hearing the yelling and screaming, and slammed doors every night. I saw doors ripped off the hinges and holes in the walls the next morning. I remember seeing and smelling marijuana every night. I forced myself to do everything I could to protect my little brothers from hearing and seeing the things I saw.
