Thanks SMD

[99fullsizechevy]

It was back in 08, but Im starting to be able to talk about it more.. But SMD saved my life..

I'll try not to make this a long sorry sappy story..

Here is how

Alot of things went down that year from surgerys I had to father being hospitalized, sister was diagnosed with MS.. Paired with some unfortunate things between me and my parents and gf issues along with some other things I don't care to mention.. And being a senior of HS it was all to much for me to handle, I was mentally no ready to handle so many things at once and I lost the will to do anything.. Grades slacked off.. Pushed people away.. Well one. Night I attempted the unthinkable and a miracle happened.. My dads s&w 45 jammed and I failed.. I guess he noticed it was moved when he got home the next day and called the school, they had me come into a evaluation and found me to be 130% suicidle, and had major depression blah blah..

Anyways they took me out of school for 7 months out of my senior year and put me in a 6 hour a day theropy program against my will.. One of the first days there, my case worker told me I needed to change some things and for sure find a new hobby.. And at the time I just started reading thru this site..

In my off hours of theropy I lurked the forums learning everything I could..

Without me realizing it, this site gave me the knowledge to start a new hobby and for a year or so a sole purpose to live..

It has taken a few years but I can finally talk about it without feeling like I'm a horrible person for those thoughts.. But I'm a better person today because of it all

So thank you Steve for starting the site and thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge and helping people out... It sometimes helps more than you could've even realize..

Ps: I find it easier to type.. But its take 15 min to hit the post button..

Edited February 2, 2012 by 99fullsizechevy

[CHEVY4X4BLAZER]

Thumbs up buddy! Keep on truckin!

[lilboom]

Some people dont get a chance to find something that keeps them in a positive mind state,

[rubbernutz1]

kinda know what u been threw man. life was kinda shitty for me to when i was at that age. hell life isnt to kind right now either but you gotta keep on going man. the further u go the stronger of a person u become

[Purplehaze]

Man, that is really cool! And very similar to my story as well. Actually, if it's okay, I'd kinda like to tell it real quick now, after reading yours!

I was into car audio growing up, and always had some sort of a system. But at age 18, I fell in love, and had a kid, and did all the family things for the next 9 years, all while still playing with car audio in my spare time. But then, around 2003, I developed some bad habits, and within 2 years, I found myself divorced, and depressed.

I wasn't suicidal, but I was strung out on drugs very bad. I finally hit rock bottom, also back in 2008. I lost everything I had, then finally I got busted with some stuff, and the judge made me chose between rehab or prison. I chose rehab, obviously, and it was the best choice I have ever made!

While in rehab, one of the things they forced into our heads was that you must have something to occupy our time, and our thoughts. So, when I finished my six months there, and came back home, The first thing I did was to find a job, and buy my PT. Right after I got it, I had to have some bumps, so I installed a $100 Walmart system, and that did it. I was hooked all over again!

So I started hitting youtube, and I found this cool guy named Steve Meade, and his beastly 4 -18's, and the rest is history!

So I too can honestly say that this site, along with car audio/ mobile electronics, has saved my life! And I'm not the only one that has benefited, but also my son, Shane. He has lived with me full time ever since a few months after I got out of rehab. His mother also got into trouble, but she chose a different path. So in prison she sits.

So, I guess you could say that it has helped make me and my sons life better! Because it's really hard to say where I'd be had I not stumbled in to this site, or revamped my love for car audio....

But it's like they say, everything happens for a reason...

And btw, I'm glad that it jammed on you!

[BassJunkie]

Keep on learning man. This hobby takes alot of time to master, and alot of time to build so I consider it a great hobby to keep your mind off of things. Those hours in the garage seem to fly by when working on boxes, radios, wiring, amps, etc...and if thats what keeps you going then do it bro and keep doing it.

I wouldn't say SMD saved my life but I will say car audio saved my life, so I guess smd is partially to thank. After my fathers passing in 2009 I sold a few things of mine that were a constant reminder of my dad, I used the money from those things to buy some 18s and some wood..blah blah blah don't want this to be a pitty party but I know where you're coming from. It takes alot of balls to stand up and face the world everyday and if audio is one of the things that help you face the world keep on keepin on, I know I will.

My offer still stands if you need any help on your setup, I'm only an hour or two away.

[Ecco]

Awesome story. I can't say that this site is why I'm living, but it helps me truck on when I am feeling low. Unlike you, I had no guns. But I had trees and plenty of rope :/

Glad you got help, though.

[Lucky4Designs]

I'm still young, I'm still learning, but my life has been pretty crazy!

Born in Sacramento, CA, in 1993, I had an awesome life growing up until my parents started fighting. Their fights were extremely violent, both verbally and physically. They got a divorce and since most of the family on my mom's side lived in Wichita, we moved there too in 2000. My grandpa is the one I can say got my hooked on car audio, he had such an impact on my life because he taught me everything I know today car related (welding, bodywork, electricals, etc..) and on October 13, 2003, he was killed when our garage exploded due to a leaky furnace. The crazy thing is, I was about to get out of school 20 minutes prior, and that was the first place I always went to after school.

Fast forward to 2010, my grades were dropping, I increasingly became less interested in school and more in audio, and was working part-time at a local Sonic Drive-in. They cut me off the payroll and my life really plummeted from there. I had questioned many times if I was just a burden to those around me and wondered if I was just better off dead. I dropped out of school, lost everything, and was selling everything non-audio related that I didn't need to buy my bud. All I did from then was grow, sell, and smoke bud and play Call of Duty online. An amount of grams that increased per day, all day every day for 12 months. My life was an absolute wreck. Then, I decided it was time for something new. I stopped smoking (the nasty habit of cigarettes stayed with me though) and decided to get back into school. Fast forward to this day, I'm enrolling to get my GED, get into I.I in Daytona Beach, FL, and I'm starting my own line of subs!

Every day is something new and something I look forward to now and it's just a Godsend to know that there are people out there like myself who find such a passion in car audio. I may not have that many posts or been here very long, but to me the forums feels like family.

[Purplehaze]

I'm still young, I'm still learning, but my life has been pretty crazy!

Born in Sacramento, CA, in 1993, I had an awesome life growing up until my parents started fighting. Their fights were extremely violent, both verbally and physically. They got a divorce and since most of the family on my mom's side lived in Wichita, we moved there too in 2000. My grandpa is the one I can say got my hooked on car audio, he had such an impact on my life because he taught me everything I know today car related (welding, bodywork, electricals, etc..) and on October 13, 2003, he was killed when our garage exploded due to a leaky furnace. The crazy thing is, I was about to get out of school 20 minutes prior, and that was the first place I always went to after school.

Fast forward to 2010, my grades were dropping, I increasingly became less interested in school and more in audio, and was working part-time at a local Sonic Drive-in. They cut me off the payroll and my life really plummeted from there. I had questioned many times if I was just a burden to those around me and wondered if I was just better off dead. I dropped out of school, lost everything, and was selling everything non-audio related that I didn't need to buy my bud. All I did from then was grow, sell, and smoke bud and play Call of Duty online. An amount of grams that increased per day, all day every day for 12 months. My life was an absolute wreck. Then, I decided it was time for something new. I stopped smoking (the nasty habit of cigarettes stayed with me though) and decided to get back into school. Fast forward to this day, I'm enrolling to get my GED, get into I.I in Daytona Beach, FL, and I'm starting my own line of subs!

Every day is something new and something I look forward to now and it's just a Godsend to know that there are people out there like myself who find such a passion in car audio. I may not have that many posts or been here very long, but to me the forums feels like family.

That's a very touching story, thanks for sharing! I'm sure your grandfather would be proud of you for going back to school, and doing the right things in life. And karma will come back to you, so just keep it up! And good luck with all your adventures in life, and starting your own sub company. There is nothing like pursuing a dream!

[LT.Smoke]

It was back in 08, but Im starting to be able to talk about it more.. But SMD saved my life..

I'll try not to make this a long sorry sappy story..

Here is how

Alot of things went down that year from surgerys I had to father being hospitalized, sister was diagnosed with MS.. Paired with some unfortunate things between me and my parents and gf issues along with some other things I don't care to mention.. And being a senior of HS it was all to much for me to handle, I was mentally no ready to handle so many things at once and I lost the will to do anything.. Grades slacked off.. Pushed people away.. Well one. Night I attempted the unthinkable and a miracle happened.. My dads s&w 45 jammed and I failed.. I guess he noticed it was moved when he got home the next day and called the school, they had me come into a evaluation and found me to be 130% suicidle, and had major depression blah blah..

Anyways they took me out of school for 7 months out of my senior year and put me in a 6 hour a day theropy program against my will.. One of the first days there, my case worker told me I needed to change some things and for sure find a new hobby.. And at the time I just started reading thru this site..

In my off hours of theropy I lurked the forums learning everything I could..

Without me realizing it, this site gave me the knowledge to start a new hobby and for a year or so a sole purpose to live..

It has taken a few years but I can finally talk about it without feeling like I'm a horrible person for those thoughts.. But I'm a better person today because of it all

So thank you Steve for starting the site and thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge and helping people out... It sometimes helps more than you could've even realize..

Ps: I find it easier to type.. But its take 15 min to hit the post button..

Not to get into religious viewpoints BUT i have a feeling god intervened in your life because you still havent finished completing your goals he set out for you here bro....Glad the pistol did jam tho man...Suicide is not the answer my friend its a selfish act that hurts everyone around you.... Keep your head up.... This goes to everyone who is depressed we all face challenges thats what makes us who we are