As a burn survivor myself, working to make the lives of other burn survivors more successful and bringing them to the realization that we are no different than anyone else and that we can lead a productive life has been my passion and goal for the last three years. Growing up behind my scars I never knew how hard it was going to be as I got older. School was manageable but I was not prepared to transition into adulthood. After many failed jobs, relationships and nearly running myself into the ground I decided that it was time for change, and needed to find the hardest thing I could possibly challenge myself with. In July of 2012 I graduated from Central Kitsap fire and rescue fire academy, I became a volunteer firefighter. During academy I came to the realization that there are days that I wanted to quit, and that maybe I was not cut out to do fire fighting, but the thought that I had failed in so many other areas in life, and the amount of people who told me that I would not succeed ignited a drive in me that I couldn't quit. After graduation it hit me hard realizing that I had done it and that nobody could tell me any more that I could never do anything again! However some time after that, it came to me that I have always had that drive, and that I was always able to do what I set my mind to no matter what the naysayers said, and that's when I decided that I need to share this with young burn survivors, and show them how to go from survivor to thriver. Since 2012 I have had the pleasure of working with burned children and watching them grow from a victim of burns, to a survivor and then on to thriver! This transformation is incredible to watch unfold in front of you, every time I have had the chance to witness it, I myself learn something new. I had set out to help these youth, and we both teach each other. Now life has yet started a change again, I am not only perusing happiness for our burned youth, but for their success as well.