Hi, my name is Peyton, and I’m a survivor. My childhood felt like something out of a horror movie, but I found my way out. Everything changed the day I met Mimi—a kind, steady woman who helped me escape the hell I’d been living in and taught me what love and safety could feel like.

My best friend, Sophia, came into my life during my freshman year of college. With her support and the freedom I finally had to explore who I wanted to be, I discovered my passion for storytelling and eventually became a successful children’s author.

I carried a lot of anger as a teenager—so much that my parents agreed to let me enlist in the service at seventeen. I had lost someone close to me, someone I had promised to protect, and that grief shaped everything I did. During my time in the service, I met my best friend, Tyler, who became like a brother to me.

After leaving the military, I opened my own self‑defense business. Teaching became a way to channel everything I’d learned and everything I’d survived. I believe every woman and child should know the basics of self‑defense, and helping them feel safer in their own lives has become my purpose.