A little about me; I am 37 years old and I have been married to my best friend, Erin, for 4 years. We have a daughter Jordan who is almost two years old. I have another daughter, Brittany, who lives with her mom. She is eighteen years old. I live in a small town, in a 100 year old house. I have lived through physical abuse, a house fire (which we lost everything) when I was very young. I have lost my two closest friends. One who took his own life (Doug Deemer) and the other who died after a motorcycle crash (John Greaves). I lost my father a few years ago to a brain aneurysm. Both my parents have been married three different times. I have 3 half brothers (Scotty, Stevie and Sean); we have the same father just different mothers. I have one half sister (Tammy) same mother just a different father and one sister (Roxanne) same father and mother. So as you can see my parents were very busy. Growing up my mother and step father both worked so being the oldest at ten years old I was cooking, cleaning, sewing and helping my siblings with their homework when I could. I had to grow up and learn how to be a parent at a very young age. It taught me how to be very independent and responsible. Having a very tough upbringing I also learned the consequences for doing wrong. So that has always made me a very defensive person with anything I do or discuss. I went to church all the time as a child which I enjoyed until I became a teenager. Then all I wanted to do is hang out with friends and party. Now that I am older and have seen bad things happen to friends and family who refuse to grow up, I spend time with my wife and good friends. We go to church close to our house and our little one goes with us. She just lights up the room and brings a smile to everyone’s face.
Even though I had a tough upbringing, my best memories were with my father. He was into exotic animals as were his friends so growing up I would go snake hunting with my father and do snake lectures at zoos or campgrounds to give them knowledge about snakes so instead of people fearing them, we would educate them. It was incredible to see how the parents would be scared but the children would be so mesmerized by what snakes we would take with us to show at the lectures. The things I learned about animals by my father, David Drake, were the most enjoyment I ever had as a child. My father was my best friend, losing him has been the hardest thing to deal with, even years later the pain is still as strong now as it was the day he died. I guess you truly never get over losing a parent but eventually you handle in time. My mother (Patricia) lives in New Jersey with her husband (Len) who is a great guy. I am very happy for both of them. My wife and I have known each other for over twenty years. She told me when I proposed to her she knew one day she was going to marry me but she just had to wait for me to realize I was going to marry her. She is a great wife and mother. She puts up with me, which is no easy feat. God Bless her. I am a very opinionated person but I am also the first person to help anyone in need of help. All they have to do is ask. That is why the book is titled MY OPINION.
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