No one wants to go through life with the feeling of utter hopelessness. But sometimes, due to a set of unforeseen circumstances, a person is forced to navigate through the perils of daily living without any clear sense of purpose or encouragement.
But there is always hope.
Nathaniel Deen knows hardship and hopelessness very well. Due to a traumatic incident, he lost both his parents at the age of 5. For the next nine years, Deen bounced from an orphanage to a series of foster homes to eventually running away at age 16. He soon found himself living in a car, yet somehow still finding the wherewithal to attend and contend with the daily rigors of school. This chaotic lifestyle eventually brought him to the brink of suicide.
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But fortunately, due to a stroke of divine providence, Deen came in contact with a teacher who was drawn to his mysterious past. Rather than run in the other direction, far from Deen’s problems, this small-town educator discovered the profound and direct impact he could have on another life.
“My early relationship with him was quite literally like Barbara Streisand versus Metallica,” Deen shares. “We were from two different walks of life. But he saw that I was in need and he stepped in and helped me. He never gave up on me and he always encouraged me. He believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.”
Today, Deen is eternally thankful that this humble man took the time to journey with him through his doubt and betrayal and set him on a path to trust and redemption.
This amazing story is the subject of a new movie currently showing in theaters nationwide called, “Brave the Dark.” Starring Jared Harris and Nicholas Hamilton, the film serves as a prime example that we should never give up on anyone despite their plight. Doing so can often prevent a person from traveling down such a tortuous path of destruction that never seems to end well.
“He brought hope into my life because it was going downhill,” explains Deen, who today is a successful screenwriter and movie producer. “I really didn’t even want to live anymore. I was so depressed and thinking that the world owed me something. But he was able to convince me that sometimes the world won’t owe you anything. You have to work for it. You have to work hard. And that’s what he did for me. I think I would have gone down a pretty bad path had he not stepped in.”
Deen joins us to talk about how his potentially tragic story turned into a blessing due to the gentle guidance of this teacher who was willing to demonstrate compassion and concern for him. Listen as he shares why he chose to be so transparent about his life despite such a tremendous sense of vulnerability in putting himself out there for the world to see.
Listen now:
