My name is Damon Wall, and my life story is one filled with stumbling blocks and hurdles that initially razed me to the ground but eventually shaped me to become as strong as I possibly can.  This story is shared not to gain sympathy but to inspire people to never let any life difficulties block their way of achieving what they truly want and pursuing life with courage.

My parents suffered from drug addiction even before I existed. That has caused my childhood to turn sour and troubled. When I was only 20 months old, my mother watched me and my older sister while she was under the influence of drugs. When I began to cry, she forcefully shut me up by beating me nearly to death. I was placed in a coma and was hospitalized for 9 months. The incident has left me neurologically impaired with weakness on the right side of my body and blindness in my left eye. My mother was sentenced to 10 years in jail but only served 5 years because of good conduct time.

I and my sister were left to my father while my mother stayed in jail. He did try to be a parent, but because of his dependence to drugs and alcohol, he failed to give us the best fatherly care.  He was hospitalized countless times over the years because of medical issues due to his vices. He eventually passed away in 1997 due to cirrhosis of the liver, caused by his alcoholism.  I was 14 years old when he died, and after his death, my aunt took care of me and my sister.

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