Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we carry—and the ways we learn to move through it—can define who we become. We asked community members from a broad array of industries to reflect on their defining wounds and have shared the responses below.
Melanie Gottfried
Some of the defining wounds of my life have shaped me in ways I could never have imagined. One of the biggest was losing my father at 59 to liver cancer. That moment shook me to my core and made me realize how fragile life can be. It became a wake-up call for me to take my health seriously and start reclaiming my life. Read More>>
osamagbe izevbigie
One of the defining wounds of my life has been the feeling of not belonging. Moving from Lagos to Wales, I quickly realised how different I was from everyone around me—not just in appearance, but in culture, music, and perspective. There were times when I felt isolated, overlooked, or like my ideas didn’t fit the mould. Read More>>
Mia Nardi-Huffman
In 2019, my husband Ryan was diagnosed with a very rare brain tumor. We had been together for about three years at that point, and we were living together, planning our future, and talking about having kids. Read More>>
Fitch Means
One of my deepest wounds was the feeling of not being fully seen or accepted for my sexuality, my art, and the vision I carry. Growing up, I often felt I had to hide parts of myself to fit expectations. Then, in 2024, a serious car accident left me with a spinal injury and forced me to stop working for months. Read More>>
David Gibbs
The defining wound in my life was growing up without a financial education. I didn’t start out with the knowledge or guidance I needed, so I had to learn everything about managing money on my own. It has taken years of effort and experience, but one of the most powerful ways I’ve healed is by helping others learn, grow, and achieve their goals. Read More>>
Kar in Motion
There was a time when I almost gave up. I poured my heart and soul into telling this story through one of my songs, “Find Your Rhythm” — a piece about how I lifted myself out of one of the darkest periods of my life. Back then, I felt consumed by anger, betrayal, and shame. Read More>>
Zollyann Howell
The defining wounds of my life have been moments where I felt stripped of everything, relationships, stability and even my sense of self. Two of the hardest were going through a custody battle that almost broke me and walking away from a successful business I had built because it wasn’t what God called me to do. Read More>>
Julian Haskins
The most defining wound I have is losing my father. I’m currently still healing and realizing it is a lifelong recovery process for me Read More>>
Emmanuelle Blanc
The deepest wound was never physical—it was emotional absence. My father was affectionate, present, and deeply caring. I always felt safe with him. He loved me through his presence, his steadiness, and his attention. Yet the words “I love you” were never said—and as a child, I didn’t yet understand that love could be shown without being spoken. That silence shaped me. Read More>>
Ann Lykins
The defining wounds of my life? Leaving my marriage, for the betterment of my children. The passage of two of my sons, one from suicide, one from a cocaine overdose. All three experiences absolutely devastated me & took me lower than I thought possible to survive. Read More>>
