On August 24th, 2024, my life flipped in about the time it takes to dial 9-1-1.
This Isn’t a Highlight Reel
I’m not telling this story from the finish line. I’m telling it from the middle—from a heart emergency in the yard, a career reset after 35 years, and a decision in my mid-50s to start over with the trade my dad taught me… with a wife who wouldn’t let me quit.
Home, Heart & Harbor came out of that season: a way to rebuild, share what’s actually helping, and keep moving toward a life I’m still trying to create—one step at a time.
I’m grateful to be here. And I’m grateful for the perspective that came with it.
The Day Everything Changed
On Saturday, August 24, 2024, I was in the yard cleaning up debris from the storm the night before. It was hot, I was trying to cool off—and then I started feeling wrong in a way that wasn’t “I just need water.”
I told my wife to call 9-1-1.
Not long after that, I went blank.
I’ve got flashes from the ambulance—voices, questions, people trying to keep me with them—but I couldn’t respond. Later, the doctors told me it was a cardiac event. I spent more than a week in the hospital, left with a stent, and a very different understanding of how fast life can change.
The Career I Thought I’d Retire From
When I got out of the hospital, I took the time I needed to heal.
November 6, 2024 was the day I planned to go back.
Instead of stepping back into my role, I learned my position had been eliminated as part of a restructuring.
So there I was at 53—35 years into the same career—health shaken, confidence rattled, and no clear idea what came next.
It felt like the floor dropped out from under me twice in a matter of weeks.
Going Back to the Trade My Dad and I Built
When I decided to start over, I didn’t pick something random. I went back to the trade I’ve known my whole adult life—the one my dad and I worked in side by side.
We built something together. Over time, the work changed hands and my role changed with it—but the craft never left me.
After the heart event and the career reset, I realized I couldn’t spend the rest of my working years building something that wasn’t mine.
I had a choice: keep doing what I knew for someone else… or take those same skills and finally build something of my own.
This time, I chose to build for us—to take what my dad taught me and use it to create a future that belongs to my family.
The trade my dad and I built together is the same trade I’m using to rebuild my life now only this time, I’m building something of my own.
Why I Started Home, Heart & Harbor
While I was rebuilding the service business, one thing was crystal clear: I couldn’t afford to put all my eggs in one basket again.
I’ve always loved technology, and I’ve always been the guy tinkering with tools, gear, and systems until they actually work. So I built something alongside the business—a place to share the real story, the things that actually help us, and a way to create additional income streams while I rebuild.
That’s where Home, Heart & Harbor came from.
I wanted to:
- share my journey without acting like I’ve got it all figured out
- talk honestly about what’s working for me and what isn’t
- give people tools and ideas they can take and make their own
- and yes—earn money through products and recommendations when it makes sense
Quick transparency: Sometimes we use affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. And like anything else, results vary—nothing here is a promise of income or outcomes.
I’m not an influencer. I’m not a guru. I’m a guy in the middle of a rebuild—still grinding for the future I want, still dreaming about what it can be, and still trying to find peace and joy along the way.
For us, Harbor looks like a modern farmhouse on a Tennessee hillside, watching the light change over the Lake and the mountains. The porch, the chairs, the quiet that’s what all this middle-of-life grinding is really aimed at.
Home, Heart & Harbor in Plain Language
Home
Home is not a perfect dream house. It's the place you're living in right now—the kitchen that needs a new faucet, the bathroom grout that's seen better days, the living room that could use better lighting. It's the real-life spaces that need maintenance, small fixes, and comfort upgrades to support everyday life in the middle years. This is where you actually live, and it deserves your attention.
Heart
Heart is the why behind everything. It's health, relationships, stress, money, caregiving, grief, and the future you're still hoping for. It's the messy middle of life—work, bills, aging parents, loss—but also the part of you that's still looking forward. You're not done yet. You're building something that matters, even when it's hard, even when you're tired. Heart is what keeps you going.
Harbor
Harbor is the life you're working toward and the places your soul gets to breathe. It's entertaining friends on the porch, cooking "Wreck the Kitchen" style on a Saturday night, fishing trips that clear your head, hobbies you've been putting off, and the long-range plans you're finally making time for. It's also prepping for storms and hard days, because you know they're coming. Harbor is where you rest, recharge, and remember what you're building all this for.