Vista Ridge High School Senior Brayden Cutshall’s life was upended after several deeply difficult events placed a huge emotional and financial strain on his mother, Ashley. Cutshall was in the 7th grade when the trauma and pain began to severely affect his grades.

“At the end of my 7th-grade year, I saw my report card, and it deeply upset me,” Custhall said. “I realized I had a choice: I could give in to the pressures of my environment or step up. I decided I had to adapt or my family’s situation would worsen and I wouldn’t achieve my dream of commissioning in the military.”

Cutshall also saw the pain his mother and sister were going through and recalls staying up until 3 a.m.…