Life really does have a sense of timing, doesn’t it? Just when you think everything’s steady, something unexpected comes along to shake things up. That’s exactly what happened to me in the unpredictable world of construction. I started working at my stepdad’s company at just 15, doing everything from filing paperwork to cleaning the office.
My stepdad, who married my mom when I was ten, didn’t believe in handouts—his motto was: “Earn your keep or find a new roof, Sheldon.” It was tough, but it taught me grit. While my peers enjoyed carefree weekends, I juggled construction shifts and a part-time ice cream shop job, eventually mastering both tools and toppings. By my twenties, I became foreman, earning my place in the company—and, in a way, in the family. But just when things felt secure, life threw me a curveball I never saw coming…