To meet Casey now, you’d think this man has got it made - a great job, recently finished his college degree, living in Chicago, engaged to be married, has an awesome dog. And you would be right - things look pretty good for Casey.  That assumption would do an injustice to Casey’s story. His life has been anything but ideal and picturesque, his struggles have been real, and he came very close to throwing it all away, several times. When you listen to Casey talk of how his life unfolded, and how he had to pick himself at some of the worst moments you can imagine for a person, it sheds new light on the idea of renewed hope, and owning one’s worth.  Casey is our first 2 part episode. One interview session was not enough to adequately do justice to his experiences. Religious indoctrination, being a gay man in a conservative space, untreated mental illness, substance abuse and addiction. No one lives in a vacuum, and neither do our experiences. Casey is a prime example of that, and a testament to what we are capable of if we don’t give up on ourselves.