Domestic violence affects millions of Americans every day and the violence knows no bounds, happening to young and old, rich or poor, educated or not.
One man who overcame domestic violence to lead one of the premiere private schools in the state, has an inspirational message for anyone who has suffered at the hands of an abuser.
Mid-Pacific Institute President Joe Rice has spent most of his life shaping young futures as an educator.
"And so I’ve been pretty much committed to do that, that whatever I did do would help people,” said Rice.
He’s committed to living a life free of violence.
"It wasn’t until the day I left home before I stood up for myself and my mom,” said Rice.
He stood up by stabbing an abusive stepfather eleven times, injuring him, not killing him.
Rice remembers all to well many of the bad things he was subjected to as a kid.
"I’ve been sold for sex with older women when I was about 13, 14. Three or four times. That’s not good,” said Rice.
And so Rice ran away, living on his own since he was a senior in high school.
"Angels all around us that will help you, just like helped me. When it was the worst of times there was somebody that was trying to help me, if I would take it, their hand,” said Rice.
He did just that and in 1996 moved to Hawaii to take over as President of Mid-Pacific Institute. It’s a job he will retire from at the end of the upcoming school year. Next on his agenda to write a book about his hard scrambled start in life.
"At times I just give it up because I start thinking about things that happened, that even at my age, here nearing retirement at Mi-Pacific, it still hurts,” said Rice.
Hoping to help young people understand there is a way out, and you make what you will of your life and no one else.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
