My life went hay wire in 2012, at least it was the start. In that year I had my first child which is the best blessing I have ever had; I got separated from my now ex-wife, pretty much every friend that I thought I had abandoned that friendship, and how Dave pretty much put it started the hardest time in my life.

In 2013 I got divorced, still had very little real friends, got remarried and kept being the best dad that I could be, spending every free moment I had with my son. I tried to keep training but it definitely wasn't what i used to be. I also started seeing a counselor for a sounding board and starting taking some meds that kept me from basically freaking out. Work was going as it usually does for a collegiate strength coach.

In 2014 my father had a massive heart attack and we almost lost time. The doc said that it is what they called the big one and they have no idea how he came out alive. This was 6 weeks before my competition. I slept 4 days in the hospital until he was taken off life support and I knew he was out of the woods.

I had to get back to work and my son but continued to go back and see him in the following weeks which he lives 5.5 hours away. I didn't train during this time and the weeks going up to the meet. I decided to do the meet for myself and I took my son with me. My wife competed as well. I wasn't there for me, I was there for them. I turned in an 8-9 meet and was just happy to have my dad still alive...tbc