OUR STORIES
God gave me a penis. He gave me manhood; masculinity, strength, direction, and purpose. He created me, and made me into this man I am.
Yeah, life has thrown curveballs, and I ain’t perfect. I’ve experienced a whole lot of loss, been through some messed-up shit, and have my fair share of deep scars. But God’s been there the entire time, and will be through it all.
At seven years old, I lost my mom the first time. She slipped into manic depression/bipolar disorder, tried to kill herself numerous times (I was the one who found her and her suicide note one of those times), and got shipped-off to Texas for psychiatric treatment for many years. I then was raised by extended family and neighbors while attempting to help raise my little brother from that point on, as my dad traveled constantly for his position at P&G. My childhood was flat-out robbed from me.
But along the way, my coaches, Boy Scout leader (back when that entity was an organization meant to help boys grow), and youth pastor did their best to try and give lost days and time back to me. They stepped-in to try to fill the role of my dad. College made me come alive – it offered experience after experience where I could explore and find the real me. Between 19 and 22, I led two different social fraternities at two different universities as president, spent half a year in Australia, went back to lead my old youth group of 300 as a youth intern, served on the leadership board of the largest FCA in the country, and discovered that I had what it took to not only become a man but also lead like one (a whole lot of mentors – my age and older, helped with that discovery).
After college, I found John Eldredge, pressed deeper into Brian Tome, and began to test my faith to determine what I personally (not my parents or my family) believe. As a young professional, I was fired from my first job out of school, failed miserably at finances, learned painful lesson after painful lesson, started a successful company with friends, travelled the world, and then found my niche in developing men in the athletic, fraternal, military, and outdoor adventure aspects of three different universities. And then my uncle suddenly died. Then my dad. Then my family dog, great uncle, grandpa, and some dear friends. Loss became a regular part of life. Yet, my community came alongside me to help me sort through it all. In the midst of the challenges, I learned the difference between mentoring and discipling, and I developed a vibrant intensity for life that was tough to extinguish.
In late 2019, I lost my mom the second and final time. I got to watch her breathe her last breath (and damn it still hurts to type that out). It was then I finally realized how insanely short this gift of life is. And, it was then I finally decided to give my all in every single day I’ve got left – to do what I’ve known I was designed and created to do in this first life for a long, long time. In early 2020, The Chase Movement was born.
If you’re reading this, you’re on a quest. You’re on a journey, searching for yourself…looking for who you are, and what you’re meant to do during this short life. And, you’re not alone; there’s a growing movement of men on this same path with you.
Get involved through an Epic Experience, and let’s start your chase.
Welcome to the wilds.
Tyler Young
