One Person Can Change Everything

Sometimes, it only takes one person to change the entire trajectory of your life. For me that person was my 11th grade English teacher, Ernest Mattea.

He was the first person that I ever felt truly saw me. He didn’t just see a student sitting quietly in his classroom. He saw a writer with potential who needed guidance, nurturing, and encouragement.

He empowered me to have a voice when at home I learned that it was safer to remain silent.

“You’re a great writer.”

Those words may seem simple but were a lifeline that despite my insane and unpredictable home life kept me motivated to keep living. 

Every one of us is carrying a story. For some, it’s shaped by unthinkable trauma. For others, it’s formed in quieter, less obvious ways—but it still affects who we are and who we become.

And often, that story is shaped more by what we haven’t heard than by what we have.
No one told us we mattered.
No one told us we were capable.
No one told us we were enough.
Until someone does.

Mr. Mattea didn’t just give me a compliment and move on. He consistently showed up with encouragement. He offered positive affirmations when I needed it most, and he made me feel seen and heard.

When just one person believes in you, it creates a crack in the doubt. It introduces the possibility that maybe—just maybe—the negative story you’ve been telling yourself isn’t the whole truth. That maybe you are more capable, more talented, more worthy than you’ve allowed yourself to believe.

That belief becomes a seed and with a little nurturing it can grow. And over time, with the right care, it can flourish and change your life. 

The work I do today—writing, speaking, advocating for mental health can all be traced back to that moment when my 11th grade teacher chose to believe in me. When he took the time to not only tell me, but to show me that somebody cared. Quite honestly, I’m not sure if I would still be here if it were not for his emotional support and mentorship.

Most of us will never know when you might be that person for someone else.
Your words of encouragement and belief in someone might be the very thing that changes their path. You might be the one who helps them rewrite their story.
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And if you’re reading this and still waiting for that one person, hear this:
Your life matters. Hold on to the possibility that your story doesn’t have to end tragically. Tomorrow is a new day and a chance for you to leave the past behind you and begin again, one breath, one choice, one step at a time.

For more inspiration, stories, and advice for managing mental health visit at voicesformentalhealth.org

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