Thanks craig for your awesome example and light you were able to share.

For one of my school assignments we wrote an essay on someone who has influenced our lives. This was written a little while ago and since he has influenced me even more just by seeing his different videos on YouTube and his facebook stuff and seeing his positive attitude towards life. I know he is in a better place right now sharing that same attitude and light but yeah here it is.

Influence:

A few summers ago I had the chance to go to an EFY summer camp. Around this time I was trying to change some parts of my life around. The whole camp in general was fun and I really enjoyed it but there was one particular individual that stood out to me. His name was Craig Decker and he was my counselor for the week. There was something about him I could not explain. It was like he just knew something I did not and kept it with him like a valuable treasure. This is a person who changed my life in a small way and someone I will never forget.

First of all he just had his calm and settle way of handling everything. He was the type of person who could just connect with anyone no matter who they were. He was not like other counselors I have had in the past who were of course really good people but were more just fun and crazy. Now he had his crazy side of him but there was a vibe that came from him that you could just tell he cared about every other individual around him. It was something I noticed that just made me think this guy is a cool dude and became one of my role models and heroes. By being around him it altered my opinions on how I thought and felt about other people.

Craig was a complete stranger when I first met him like anyone else but he opened up to me faster than anyone. I felt like I could just tell him things that I would have normally kept to myself. He was more than just a counselor that just watched over me he was also my friend.

Back at home I was having some real personal struggles and without me even saying much he knew what to say to me. He had a way with words were he could give advice and not be offensive or unhelpful but connect with you in an understanding way.

I would have been just fine if I never met him but he really helped me view life in a brighter way and overall took part in me changing into the person I am today. After camp I never saw Craig again. He drifted into what seemed like a distant memory until I got a letter in the mail from him. It was just a simple letter sent to all the kids in the group asking how we were doing and telling about some shocking events of his own life to. If just so happen that him and some of his friends were shooting off fireworks and one of them had a malfunction and blew his hand clean off.

Now most people's reactions to this would be to think of all the negatives of the situation but not Craig. In his letter it had some of the most positive motivational words I have ever heard when he is talking about how grateful he is be able to find a way to tie his shoes and floss his teeth. He simply said that if was not him then it would have been some other poor dude that blew his hand off like it was no big deal and to top it off he added some of his personality by putting a picture of Wile E. Coyote messing around with a stick of dynamite right in the middle of the letter.

Sometimes I still pull out that letter and his reminds me that I still have both my hands and much to be thankful for. Craig is an amazing individual that I have had the privilege to have been friends with. He is someone who has been a real motivation and influence in my life. He is someone who really cares about everyone around him. Craig is a hero that I have had in my life who has played a role in making me who I am. Where ever he is I hope he is having an awesome life and would like to thank him for being such a good example to me.

--Austin Torgersen