I Grew Up in The Jungles of Panama

I was born in Wisconsin, but by the age of five, my life took a very different path than most. My parents moved me and my siblings overseas, and I had the privilege of growing up immersed in different cultures and communities around the world.

By the age of seven, I was living in Panama—a place I would call home for the next 25 years. It was there, deep in the jungles and rural communities, that I spent time among indigenous tribes who didn’t just welcome me—they became like family. I grew up seeing the world not through headlines or textbooks, but through connection, conversation, and community. I’ve traveled to over 40 countries—most of them before I turned 30—doing humanitarian work and building relationships across cultures. That global exposure gave me not just empathy for people from all walks of life, but a deep respect for traditional foods, healing practices, and the God-given wisdom embedded in each culture.

When I was 14, I was diagnosed with cancer. The chemotherapy treatment was intense. It also left me with chronic digestive and immunological issues that followed me into adulthood. For most of my teen and young adult years, I struggled to gain weight and live without illness. In 2009, after getting married, my wife began to introduce me to holistic approaches to eating and wellness. That changed everything. With time—and the help of various holistic specialists—I began to see food not just as fuel, but as medicine.

Then, at 30 years old, I was diagnosed with cancer again—this time, liver cancer. While not directly linked to the first, there’s no doubt that the chemotherapy I had undergone as a teenager played a role. I became even more frustrated with the system that claims to heal us, but often overlooks root causes, lifestyle, and the healing power of food, herbs, and the mind-body-soul connection.

Intermingled between 2009 and the present I worked on numerous certifications:

I became a Certified Chef, passionate about creating food that heals.

I earned a Certificate in Fermentation from Harvard, diving into gut health and the transformative power of fermented foods.

I trained as a Certified Herbalist, firmly believing that God gave us everything we need through nature to support our healing.

And because I believe healing is never one-dimensional, I became a Certified Behavioral Consultant and a Certified ThetaHealing® Practitioner—because what we believe, think, and feel plays just as big a role in our health as what we eat.

I’ve spent years counseling people from all walks of life, helping them move through emotional trauma, spiritual blockages, and physical challenges. My own journey included deep wounds—sexual abuse as a child among them—that took years to acknowledge and begin healing from. But I found that approaching healing from multiple angles—body, mind, and soul—opened a path to lasting and continuous change.

That’s what Eden’s Echo is all about.

Eden’s Echo was born after years of working in marketing and personal branding—work I enjoyed, but work that slowly drained me. My wife and I began dreaming about creating something different. A place where people could heal holistically, deeply, and in alignment with their original design. One day, we hope to open a retreat center where clients can check in and experience everything from bodywork to trauma recovery to spiritual renewal all in one place—a resort, wellness clinic, and spiritual haven combined.

For now, Eden’s Echo is a first step.

I'm continuing my studies to become a Certified Holistic Wellness Practitioner, exploring even more healing modalities so I can be a sort of Swiss Army knife for my clients—able to offer the right tool, at the right time, for whatever they need.

Wherever you are in your life, I want you to know this: healing is possible. Not just as a destination, but true wholeness in the journey… while you heal.

And I’d be honored to walk that path with you.