My Story

Hi. My name is Blake. I’m originally from South Carolina, but since 2014, I’ve called Florida home. My wife and I moved here after I was discharged from the Army, and we currently live in the Acreage with our two dogs: Elliot, a fiesty Rat Terrier, and Berkeley, a retired service dog we adopted last year. I’m also a proud father of three sons, who are wrapping up high school and preparing to embark on their college journeys.

But the path that brought me here hasn’t been an easy one, and woodworking—what I do now—represents much more than just a craft.

I served as a combat veteran in the Army, completing multiple tours between 2005 and 2010. My life changed forever during a mission in Afghanistan when a rocket-propelled grenade struck our vehicle. The explosion left me blind, ending my career as a soldier and beginning the most challenging mission of my life—redefining who I was.

After recovering at Walter Reed, I was transferred to the VA Blind Rehabilitation Center in Augusta, Georgia. There, I learned to navigate a world without sight and discovered adaptive techniques that allowed me to use power tools and measure with precision. For someone who had always loved working with his hands, it was a lifeline back to a part of myself I thought I had lost.

For 13 years, though, woodworking had to wait. My battles weren’t over. I grieved the loss of my vision, my sense of identity as a soldier, and the close bonds I’d formed in the Army. The psychological wounds of war lingered, and addiction became another war I had to fight. It nearly took my life—just as it tragically took two of my closest friends from the service.

Despite the struggles, I achieved things I never thought possible. I became a certified scuba diver, a personal trainer, a competitive powerlifter, and a licensed massage therapist—all feats made more challenging without sight but deeply rewarding nonetheless.

In 2023, after years of fighting addiction, I took a new path. I joined Alcoholics Anonymous, where I rediscovered the camaraderie and fellowship I had missed since leaving the military. The program gave me the tools to rebuild, to work through the pain, and to help others—especially fellow veterans—facing similar battles.

This journey brought me back to woodworking, a craft that provides me with both purpose and peace. When I imagine a piece of furniture, carefully craft it with my hands, and see someone appreciate it enough to bring it into their home, it fills me with a pride I can’t quite put into words. Woodworking is my way of channeling resilience, creativity, and hope into something tangible.

Through all the challenges, I’ve learned that transformation is possible, no matter how difficult the path. Each piece of furniture I create is more than just wood—it’s a reflection of perseverance, healing, and the belief that beauty can still be found, even after the hardest battles. Every piece is crafted with care, shaped by resilience, and built to stand the test of time.