On the road of life, everyone has their own story. Though this story hasn’t ended and is always growing new chapters this is the beginning of the book of life for Abyl Arden a man of many triumphs and tribulations and a path that has molded him into being the man he is today. On June 15th of 1985, his parents welcomed into the world a bouncing baby boy. At birth Abyl was born with a heart murmur. The poor boy was underweight and had to spend some extra time in the hospital before he could go home to be with his family. Once home he was primarily welcomed with open arms. Being in a family of four children, six people all together it could be hard to not have a fight here and there. Most of the squabbles were minimal and they were mostly over petty things such as someone was playing with someone else’s toy. His childhood was quite typical. He grew up in a loving, two parent household that taught the children that with hard work and perseverance you can accomplish anything that your heart desires. The family originated in Dallas, Texas and before the birth of the youngest member of the Arden family they moved to New York where Abyl's maternal grandparents were born and raised.

In middle school Abyl was the chubby kid in his class. His friends mostly consisted of gamer nerds, outcasts and other misfits that didn’t fit in any other clique. The summer after eighth grade he contracted mono which sent him into a rapid weight loss spiral. Starting high school he decided to take the weight loss and turn a new leaf and reinvent himself. He tested every boundary with his school authority figures as well as his parents. He began to smoke and skip school. Cursing was second nature to him; he did it so frequently that if he were on public television he would have been a censor’s worst nightmare. He picked up a nasty attitude and thought he was above the rules. He was suspended nearly on a monthly basis. He became sexually active at fourteen years old; his first time was with one of his older siblings friends who introduced him to the party scene. He began sleeping with anyone and everyone that would let him touch them.

His life changed when he was approached by a young lady by the name of Charlotte Winters, she was a beautiful girl with long brunette hair, chubby cheeks, gorgeous blue eyes and an ass you could bounce a quarter off. He was intrigued by her coming to him and choosing him to be her partner on a history project. The young girl was well known to be in the group of devout Christian teens in the school. They would meet at the flag pole and pray each morning and would read their bibles in study hall. Charlotte saw Abyl as a lost soul who needed direction in his life. During their partnership in the history class the two of them got to know each other. Eventually she had invited him to her church. He was reluctant to go but something inside of him pushed him to go with her. He wasn’t sure if it was the Holy Spirit guiding him or if it was his hormones raging and hoping to get a chance at cracking through the virgin Charlotte’s chastity belt.

Abyl became saved. With his new found faith, he delved deep inside and became part of the community. Eventually he and Charlotte became so much more than bible buddies. He got up the courage to ask her to be his girlfriend; truthfully she had been his only real girlfriend since he was in middle school. He wanted to spend every waking moment with her. He would send her texts before he went to bed and right after he woke up. She became his world. Young Abyl didn’t think that they would last, she was far too good for him but she saw in him what he couldn’t see in himself and brought forth that version of Abyl. They became the It couple at their school. Everyone either wanted to be them or wanted them to break up so they could be with them.

He saved up money from his part time job and bought her a promise ring. Shortly after graduation Abyl got down on one knee and offered her a ring to replace that promise ring, an engagement ring. They weren’t engaged long before they married. At eighteen years old the two of them were joined as man in wife in the church that they both fell in love with each other. Their friends and family watched on as two young people entered into marital bliss. But since they were so young and both so very inexperienced in life they had their struggles. Their first place together was an efficiency apartment above a bar. He promised her that he would work hard and get them out of that hell hole as soon as he possibly could. He wanted to give her the best life he could. He began working at a factory full time and saved back as much money as he could. He wanted to give her a yard and a big kitchen, like one of those they would stare at for hours in the home improvement stores. Charlotte became pregnant shortly after they moved into their home that he worked so hard for. She miscarried; it sent her into a depression. She was withdrawn and sullen. Their home that was once so happy and full of love was now covered by a dark cloud. She began telling him about what her childhood was really like, before that point he only knew that it was “great” and that she “really enjoyed” it. She told him about abuse in her home and her once bright smile faded as she told him she was a failure and that god was punishing her for what her family had done to her. Abyl supported her and gave her uplifting speeches. She would explain how she turned to the church after several suicide attempts. Abyl couldn’t help but to weep for the love of his life. He wished that he could take all of her pain away and pull her through the rain to see the rainbow.

Several years and several bursts of depression and hospitalization Abyl and Charlotte became pregnant again. They welcomed into the world a little girl named Edyn Nicole Arden. She was the light of Abyl’s life, but the end of Charlotte’s. Post partum depression on top of her already unstable mindset, sent her over the edge. Charlotte took her own life while Abyl was at work. He came home to find her on the bed. She had overdosed on pills with their little girl in the very next room crying her head off. Abyl was devastated at the loss but turned his attention toward his daughter. He could only mourn in private, after his daughter went to bed so she would have only happy, positive vibes from her father. He didn’t want Edyn growing up with the same pain as her mother had. He wanted her to not have to ever see suicide as an option.

Currently Abyl is raising his daughter by himself. Being a working, single father to a baby has been difficult for him. He was expecting to live a full, long life with his wife and grow to see his grandchildren playing in the yard. He is grateful for the family and friends that he has around him that have been such a great help to him through the rough patch in his life. They were all free or cheap babysitters that could help in a pinch. After all the help he has given everyone he hated to be the one that needed assistance. When he’s not focusing on helping the needy and raising his daughter, he is trying to establish his own business that distributes alcoholic slushies that taste like candy, cookies, pies and other delicious treats. While trying to return to normalcy and feel whole again.