Marshawn Woods

Marshawn Woods, 27, is from Chicago, and a huge Bears fan. He describes himself as a “really cool individual” who works hard, plays hard and is always volunteering in the community.

Marshawn never knew his father, who died when Marshawn was five. Marshawn says his mother is an alcoholic. She would get in trouble and then move the family. In grade school, Marshawn was an honor roll student. In high school, his grades and attendance were slipping. He blamed his home life.

Not really sure if it was his mom messing up his life or himself, at 16, he went out on his own. He’s lived in 10 states and 16 cities and worked in Job Corps in Kansas and Iowa. He has traveled around, living with relatives, visiting his friends, and bouncing from mission to shelter. Now he’s content to have his own place.

FAILURE NOT AN OPTION: “Once you put yourself in that situation where you don’t want to go back, you gotta do what you gotta do to move forward. There was no excuse for failure for me. That’s what kept me motivated. That’s what kept me going. That fact that failure wasn’t even an option. And it worked.”

Marshawn admits that he has been in denial about his own drinking problem and bad temper. That dangerous combination has gotten him in trouble with the law. He is in control of his temper now, and thinks it came from his not being able to express himself, keeping his feelings bottled up until they exploded.

Marshawn says he is cute and likable and has an easy time with woman because he approaches them with a comfortable, respectful manner. Right now, he says he is happy, sober, taking it one day at a time and in love with life because life’s in love with him.

ONE DAY AT A TIME: “There’s gonna be a struggle. I don’t think life would be what it is if there’s not a struggle. You wouldn’t be able to find things out about yourself if you wasn’t struggling. And I’ve struggled all my life, from day one on. I’m used to the struggle. I don’t think I would be a well rounded person if I didn’t struggle.”