Meet Shandell

This book is my story—told honestly, without polish or pretense. It traces my journey from childhood into adulthood, through moments that were manageable, moments that were painful, and moments that nearly broke me. I grew up in a dysfunctional family, learned how to survive before I learned how to live, and carried those lessons—both good and bad—into adulthood.

Like many, I struggled. I stumbled. I endured seasons of simply trying to make it through the day. Eventually, I built a life of my own, a family of my own, and began the harder work of healing and understanding where I came from. Writing this book was not about reliving the past—it was about making sense of it and using it for something meaningful.

I share this story for one reason: to help someone else get through their hardest moments. If you are in a dark place, feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unseen, I want you to know that survival is possible—and so is growth. If my story helps even one person bypass the worst of those times, or feel less alone while facing them, then telling it was worth it. This is me. And this is my hope for you.