@christie.heals: His name was Josh. 🖤 He was an Army Ranger, a teacher, a father—and the funniest, most naturally charismatic person I have ever known. Any time I’ve made you laugh, you were probably seeing a little of him. Josh was also our family’s true black sheep. He was shamed as a little boy, blamed as an adult, and repeatedly reminded of every mistake he had ever made. He struggled. He hurt people. He made choices he desperately wanted to undo. But he was trying to get sober. He was beginning to understand what had happened to us. He was so close to realizing that the person our childhood taught him to hate was never who he truly was. Then, around Christmas (we don’t know exactly what day) he took his own life. I always imagined that one day, Josh would make it through—and use his story to help other people make it through too. Now that he’s gone, I guess that baton was passed to me. So please hear me: That dark voice telling you it’s too late is lying. You are not the names they called you. You are not the version of you created by people who needed someone to blame. Get away from anyone committed to making you hate yourself. Stay long enough to meet the version of you who finally understands why you had to survive all of this. My brother needed better. He didn’t make it to his breakthrough. I want you to make it to yours. If you might hurt yourself, call or text 988 in the U.S. and Canada, or contact your local crisis line. Please don’t sit alone with that voice. 🙏🏻 #brother #sister #toxicfamily #childhodtrauma

Christie Hoffman

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Region: US

Monday 07 September 2026 17:19:12 GMT