Evan’s Story

“Before, Evan was hidden inside. Being able to connect to people like Mark has made all the difference.” - Kristin, Evan’s mom

Evan is a big time Civil War and World War II history buff.

Through this project, he connected with Mark, a veteran who restores old military vehicles from his home. The two hit it off immediately. Eventually, Mark brought Evan along for a ride in his Ford GPW - Evan’s favorite military jeep.

When Mark was looking for extra help in his workshop, he invited Evan to be his assistant.

“When they first met, Evan talked about nothing but Mark for three days. He thought he was so cool,” said Kristin.

Mark is at the point in his military career that he’s letting go of a lot of sentimental war-time collector items, and he’s been sharing a lot of it with Evan.

“Giving things to Evan is special because Mark knows he’ll really appreciate it,” said Drew, Evan’s dad.

Through this new relationship and the whole team’s approach on the journey to grow resilience, Evan is beginning to try new things, show his creativity, and stand up for himself at his high school.

“He’s one of the bravest people I know. Truly,” said Kristin.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.