Hezekiah's Story
Hi, my name is Hezekiah Smith. My story begins at a very young age; I experienced a life-changing event that scarred me forever. Shortly after these events, by about 10 years when I was 14, I was brought into the foster care system.
I was traumatized and had lost my sense of purpose and direction. The foster care system labeled me as a "Troubled youth." I was angry but most of all terrified of being hurt again.
I really was inspired by Prince Zuko's story from Avatar, and just like him, destiny had other plans for me. I met a man who went by the name of David Phoenix. He owned a day placement by the name of The Redemption House, which funny enough, is where I feel I started to redeem my own self of purpose. Every day David Phoenix would ask me when I talked to him, "Who is Hezekiah as a person?" I could never answer the question.
One day, I started the next chapter of my life, and his words to me were very inspirational for who I became.
"I once worked a desk job, Hezekiah. I made tons of money, got a brand-new car, was living well... but at the end of the day, I still felt sick to my core. The reason was because I wasn't a desk person.
I realized only recently that you shouldn't pretend to be something you're not. It will slowly kill you on the inside, and it will eventually affect your health."
Even in that moment, I couldn't quite understand what he meant. Until more recently, that chapter of my life closed, but I am still in contact with David Phoenix.
I moved to a place that was just down the street—funny, I know. It was a place called Making a Difference. I went to a school called Heights High School and joined the JROTC classroom and instantly fell in love with this blond girl. I started talking to her; she immediately, as she put it, "found me interesting to talk to." She was an already well-established archer on the Heights High School JROTC archery team.
We no longer talk, but I have her to thank for my fascination with archery because, like many high schoolers, I joined the team to impress her and immediately enjoyed not just shooting a bow but the sensation of it.
I then went to compete in the NASP national archery tournament in 2024 and was in the top 100 NASP archers in Kansas. Thanks to this, I identified who I am and am quite proud of it.
I am the guy who gets back up after I defeat. I am both an intellectual and a warrior who... there is no defeat for, only temporary setback.
We as humans can do anything we put our mind to, and I hope that people who are struggling or, how I once was, don't know who they are, find solace and peace by their own power.
And welcome...
To Dragon Tamer Bows
Where it is quite a task to kill a dragon but much more to tame one.
