On November 2nd, Hurricane Lisa came through Belize and destroyed and caused chaos for so many locals. At that time, I was 2 months post-op from my ACL surgery and had just been drafted to play soccer professionally in Italy. It was a dream come true and also a devastating loss. After receiving that phone call and pushing myself at PT later that day, I decided I had two choices. To let this ruin my progress and healing, or to look at it as something that was happening FOR me and not TO me.

When I heard about the storm, I reached out to a friend wishing nothing but safety and protection. Not knowing that Lisa would be strong enough to make an impact that would really devastate the locals and this beautiful country. After hearing about all the destruction and learning about villages without power or clean water, I realized that this injury happened at the time I needed the most.

Ever since I visited Belize in 2017, after my arrest, I’ve wanted to find a way to give back to the place that saved me. So, I decided to make the most of my ACL recovery and take the materialistic and meaningless things I hoarded, and give them to those who actually needed and deserved. Addiction is not singular. Therefore, it shows up in so many places and in so many ways. For me, addiction is the thing I use to self-sabotage and hold myself back. It is the shame I feel, only materialized. So, I packed up some boxes and shipped everything I could fit into 5 big boxes and headed down to CT to meet the man who would deliver them to Belize.

Little did I know, I would be booking a flight 2 weeks later and heading back to Belize. To not only heal in a natural and medicinal place, but to make sure those things I sent got to the ones who needed it. Along my travels and these experience, I met so many incredible people and found myself face-to-face with the possibilities to continue to pay forward my gratitude to the place and people who helped me find my TRUE-self.

San Pedro, Belize C.A.

November 2022

A beautiful morning spent with the local Ministry & Sunday School kids.

I’m feeling so inspired by the love, faith, & connection these children have.

Special thank you to “Chief” aka Roberto, and his amazing team for allowing me the privilege to join and most importantly for being such role models on the Island.