22 revised true story

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K e i t h M a t h e w s by:LitaliaYoakum

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Page 1: 22 revised True Story

True Story

by: Litalia Yoakum

Bakersfield native, Joshua Keith Mathews, has not allowed past adversity to stop him from pursuing his passions.BoBorn in 1985, Mathews was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease, a disorder of the colon, which ultimately led to the surgical insertion of an ostomy bag. This bag, otherwise known as a pouching system, allowed for the diversion of waste from the colon. At the ripe age of four, Joshua had alreadyundergone a number of surgeries and was now faced with the separa -tion of his parents. His father moved to Tucson, Arizona, while his mother contin-ued to lued to live in Kern County. For the next eight years of his youthful life, Mathews made the journey be-tween Tucson and Bakersfield, going from parent to parent. As if enduring these obstacles was not enough, Mathews faced constant bullying throughout the years. “I had been picked on almost every day of my life in school,” he pro-claimed. It was not until Joshua reached the age of twelve, when he attended a specialized ostomy camp, that a sense of relief was met. “There I met Rolf Benirscke…the man [who] changed my life from that point forward.” Benirscke acted as a source of inspiration to wards a young Joshua Throughout his life, Joshua had always been told what he could and could not do. “I wanted to live not sur- vive in my life,” Mathews insisted. In 2003 Joshua succeeded in graduating from North High School, with much help from social studies teach-er Dana Ross, who “was and still is a huge part of [his] everyday life.” Ross and her husband, a coach at North High School, continued to show their support for Mathews when they assisted him in finding a second job so that he could financially help with his younger sister, during her pduring her pregnancy. In 2008, Joshua started his own family when he became married and one year later became a father to his son, Logan Keith Mathews. “I became the happiest daddy in the world,” Mathews said with smile.Unfortunately, the recent marriage ended in 2010. At this point a move to Austin, Texas was necessary for Mathews to become “re-inspired in life,” with the help of close friend Andrew Cardona.Joshua came back home to where it all started,

Keith

Mathewswhere he enjoyed living with the one woman who captured

his heart: his grandmother.At this point, Mathews was ready to achieve his goals. He started the photography business Royalty Pic.’s and from there his creative juices began to flow. Mathews has since begun to model in Bakersfield, as well as Los Angeles, he is writing a short film, and is also currently taking steps ttaking steps towards acting. Mathew’s lives along the lines of

his own motto: “I don’t want to be a role model; I want to be an inspiration.” And that he will.