MY STORY
Love. Courage. Acceptance.
Get a glimpse of who I am and what has brought me to this point in my life.
I am Daniel D. Mann, and I am 33 years old. I was born and raised in Austin, TX, and I have a Border Collie/Corgi mix named Tapp. He is 11 ½ years old, and I have had him since he was 8 weeks old. I wouldn’t trade my little one for anything in the world! I grew up in Austin with my mother (Carolyn) and brother (Marcus). It was just the three of us, and we always held strong that everything would be okay so long as we were together.
Marcus was quite the character and had big plans for his future. He showed love for everyone and everything around him. His plan was to have seven kids and drive them around in a bus like the Partridge Family! He was gearing up to start applying for his first job when he became of age. He had already started a savings account to prepare for his future. On October 11th, 2001, all three of us were involved in a three-car accident that turned into five cars when all was said and done. The accident took the life of my little brother as he was pronounced brain dead later that night in the hospital. My mother was unable to attend her son's funeral due to a 13-hour spinal surgery. He was 13 when he passed.
My mother was a strong woman who raised my brother and me for the longest time on her own. She taught us how to respect her but also made sure we knew how to respect ourselves. She could be serious one moment and then be tickled over something silly I’d say the next. The courage she displayed after losing her son and missing his funeral was unmatched, in my eyes. She told me that she wanted to let go so many times while recovering in the hospital, but she knew she needed to be there for me. On February 16th, 2010, my mother died of blood loss to her brain. She entered the hospital due to a stroke just eleven days earlier but suffered two heart attacks, which ultimately took her life while she tried to recover. She was 50 when she passed.
When my brother passed, my world was crushed beyond my comprehension. My mother and I managed to move forward and eventually hold our heads up high again. When my mother passed, I felt like I was at a standstill. I was really unsure of why I was even here. I couldn't grasp the reality that my brother and mother were both gone. Simply gone.
Over the years, I battled with depression and played many scenarios in my head as to what would happen if I were no longer here. I really wanted to disappear from the life I knew. I regretted the fact that I had missed out on many cherished moments my mother and brother shared without me. As soon as I was able to start working I became obsessed with it. I enjoyed working a lot and, unfortunately, missed out on some quality times they were able to share.
For the most part, I presented a happy persona to the world but battled a lot of issues by myself. I shut most people out of my life. My apartment was slowly becoming an embarrassment of a place to live. I didn't care about bills as much, picking up after myself, or even cleaning the dishes. My grandfather tried to keep us close despite the loss of his wife/my grandmother just one and a half months after his daughter passed. I pushed away for fear of being too close to other family members. They would simply disappear on me as well.
As years passed, I started making my transition back to the fun-loving extrovert I once was. I learned acceptance for the tragedies I had dealt with. I started sneaking my way out of the dark corners I’d hidden in for so long. I wanted to see what I could do with my life while using my family’s memory as my driving force! I began connecting with family and friends again. My goals called for bills, debts, and tickets to vanish over a three-year time span. I worked two jobs to ensure this would become a reality while ensuring I did not burn myself out in the process. Over the years, I managed to experience various countries while still busting my tail to make the right changes in my life.
2015 is the year I can proudly say I am nearly debt free!
So, what’s next?
I’ve explored some really cool countries and met some amazing people, but I’ve barely scraped the surface of my own home. Therefore, I decided back in January 2015 to do something about it by planning the biggest road trip I’ve ever endured. This trip would take me to all corners of the United States and everywhere in between. I wanted to explore my personal boundaries as well as the ones that make up this great country!
In doing so, I hope to be a source of inspiration for anyone who has suffered from darkness or simply found themselves stuck in a rut with daily life. I believe my personality garners attention, and I want to use it to inspire those who choose to follow my journey by touting “IT TAKES THREE.”
The phrase “IT TAKES THREE” comes from my mother’s belief that everything would be okay so long as we three had each other’s backs. It now represents three words that, in the past couple of years, have guided me in making most of my life decisions—love, courage, and acceptance. They are synonymous with my family and me, such as my brother’s love, my mother’s bravery, and my acceptance. They also produce important questions that help direct me.
Do I love what I’m doing or what I’m about to do?
Do I have the courage to go for it or make a change?
Am I willing to accept whatever happens as a result?
Consequently, I’ll continue to find myself living a life that will excite me because of these questions. I will continue to share with everyone my experiences and lessons I’ve learned. With that, I’ll always share with them the phrase I hold dear—IT TAKES THREE.