Thomas WestinThomas C. Westin was born in Rapid City, South Dakota, in 1954. He was raised as a Christian, the son of a herpetologist and a loving mother. He was raised in poverty for the first years of his life. While learning to love and care for animals, he wa bullied and ridiculed by cousins and schoolmates. His teenage years were confusing. After a devastating flood that destroyed a great deal of his hometown and claimed 238 lives, he decided to join the army, hoping to serve his country. As he was promoted to sergeant, he was in charge of a platoon. On a field exercise, he was injured in a grenade simulator explosion. When he returned home, he tried to become a carpenter by attending vocational school. He tried his best yet still couldn't fit in. After being told by his mother to get a job or get out, he left for Texas in mid-December. That began an incredible journey in pursuit of himself that lasted eleven years. It was a long hard ride. Read More Read Less