About Matthew Currin

"Growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina, with two brothers, my life revolved around sports like baseball, football, and basketball. I was lucky to have a good upbringing and a really loving family. My dad David, was an IT consultant for big construction companies and really inspired my interest in computer-based knowledge platforms. He always taught me the golden rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. That was true to him. It didn't matter who you were, what color you were, what nationality you were, or where you were from.

My mom Louise, who was a schoolteacher, taught me the importance of having respect for others. My faith-based upbringing is a cornerstone for these values, and I am proud to say it has made me the man I am today. However, my life lessons have been just as crucial in inspiring me.

When I was a teenager, I was cocky, and I was always out to impress because of my two older brothers, who were both great athletes. It led to a significant competitive streak, and when I was 15, I went out with some friends, who were all seniors. I had some alcohol, and I had never drunk any before. The next thing I knew, I woke up in the hospital with tubes coming out of my nose, and heart monitors on me. They told me I almost slipped into a coma and died. There's nothing like a near-death experience to focus the mind.

My dream was to be a pilot, and I was able to join the Marine Corps while finishing a psychology degree in four years. And then complete a masters in counseling later. It was one of the best things I ever did because it allowed me to see the importance of telling your story and how you can inspire others to greater heights.

My time in the Marines led to my second and third near-death experiences, which really changed my life direction. I will never forget the pain when I watched my close friend, and colleague Corporal Clark Beaty go down in a helicopter in front of my eyes. We did almost every flight together. The tragedy was we found out later the malfunction which caused the crash was a problem which had come up a few weeks earlier in the same model. Thankfully then no one died. But it was an illustration of what happens when you don't share knowledge.

A couple of weeks later, I was flying maneuvers in Puerto Rico, and I lost an engine. My craft was plummeting down the side of a mountain at breakneck speed. My life flashed before me, and I had no control. Then, I was able to pull up just a matter of feet from the ground by some miracle. To say I thought my days were numbered is an understatement. It was at that moment I realized I had to use what I had been through and what I knew to help others share what they can do.

My belief is we're all people, and you should treat people with respect. That was very important then, and it's something that I talk to my kids about now. I'm a devoted father and husband, and my wife Tisha is an incredible support to me. My son Brayden and daughters Meghan and Laney all know my belief is we don't support, empower, and respect each other enough in this world.

We all have a gift to give through our life lessons. We can use these to educate others. Whether you do that through sharing your story personally, or you use it to teach others, or make it a core of your business."

- Matthew Currin