Growing up, life wasn't easy for me. I struggled a lot, feeling out of place, lost, and never quite understanding why things felt harder for me than for others. I wasn't anything special, but I was kind. When I graduated high school, each student was given a word to describe them, and mine was "the class most kindest." Because that's who I was... someone who always put others before myself.
 

But carrying the weight of the world took its toll. My twenties were a blur of mental health struggles, hospitals, and survival. An eating disorder, complex PTSD, and a constant feeling of not wanting to be here. For years, I thought I was just broken. But later, I learned that a lot of my struggles made sense: I was autistic. I wasn't broken. I just experienced the world differently.
 

Through it all, I survived. I did the work, I fought my way through therapy, and I slowly took back control of my life. And for the first time, I asked myself: what do I actually want?
 

I had spent my whole life taking care of others, working in healthcare, supporting my family, always putting myself last. But I realized that what truly made me happy was being creative. So, I started studying Media & Communications and gave myself permission to pursue what I love.
 

Creativity had always been my escape. At 12, I taught myself to play guitar and piano. I sketched, took photos, and edited videos just because I enjoyed it. And, to my surprise, some of it actually turned out pretty good. When I started editing videos for work, I realized it was my favorite part of the job, so I did more of it, got better at it, and loved it even more.
 

By my 30th birthday, my life took another unexpected turn. I met someone. A woman who would come to mean a lot to me. And suddenly, things clicked. I had spent most of my twenties just trying to stay alive, not even thinking about love or dating. But meeting her helped me see myself more clearly. That's when I had my (very late) gay awakening.
 

That's also when I found the courage to start over. I packed up my life, moved across the country, and left behind the pain, the past, and the weight of who I used to be.
 

And now? Now, I'm finally doing what I love. I've built my own freelance business, where I get to create, tell stories, and bring ideas to life through video editing, photography, and writing. And because I love what I do, I'm really good at it.
 

This is me. Creative. Resilient. Unapologetically myself. And I'm just getting started.