Extinguishing Anger’s Flame “I feel like both my houseparents helped me understand that God isn’t the one who caused me to get cancer. He’s the one who got me through it.” When you first hear about Griffin Sewell, it may seem like he’s a textbook troubled teen. At 15, he had been dismissed from military school, had no respect for authority and considered himself an atheist. Then, you hear Griffin’s story. Like so many struggling youth, there is more beneath the surface. He had . . . no respect for authority and considered himself an atheist. As a young child, Griffin’s father died, and his mom eventually remarried. He didn’t understand why someone new had to be in his home. He wasn’t interested in a substitute for his dad. He didn’t like people telling him how he should feel or act. So he took matters into his own hands. “I felt like his explosive anger could have horrible consequences in his life,” recalled his mom, Sally Reynolds. “I was scared. I was scared for our family, and I was scared for Griffin.” His lack of respect and acting out led Sally to enroll her son in military school in 7th grade. The structure helped, but Griffin’s anger was always present, like a glowing ember. During his 8th grade year, the ember burst into full flame with the utterance of one word: cancer. At 14, Griffin faced a battle with liver sarcoma. Any progress in his behavior and relationships evaporated in the 10 long months of chemotherapy that followed. Though the treatment was successful, and Griffin is cancer free, he didn’t see how God could exist. How could God give cancer to a person who had already lost so much? Instead, his anger burned, leading to his school expulsion. “I didn’t know what to do. We had beaten physical cancer, but our family issues felt like spiritual cancer. God opened the door to Eagle Ranch when we were devastated and desperate,” said Sally. "I realized that I didn't like being in trouble all the time." As a freshman in high school, reality set in for Griffin. What was his anger accomplishing? The flame died down, but it didn’t burn out. “I think I was just more willing to change at that point. I realized that I didn’t like being in trouble all the time,” Griffin remembered. Griffin sewell, 16 the joy home Pictured with mother, Sally Reynolds, and dog, Remi. Eagle Ranch gave Griffin a chance to reflect on all he had been through and accept guidance from men, which he had struggled with since his father’s passing. extinguishing anger's flame “My housedad, Jerry, is a great guy. He encourages me when I slip up and gets me on the straight path. He tells me the truth, and tells me what he sees in me,” he said. “My assistant counselor, Wes, really understood what I was going through and helped me out a lot while I was struggling.” Learning how to express his feelings and communicate more effectively, Griffin also changed his views on God. “My family went through a big change while I was at the Ranch. There’s a lot less fighting and tension,” he said. “It was a lot of work, but it was worth it.” “I feel like both my houseparents helped me understand that God isn’t the one who caused me to get cancer. He’s the one who got me through it.” Griffin looks forward to his 11th grade year, turning his fire into passion for basketball and building a positive life. His family continues to navigate their relationship with the tools they gained through Eagle Ranch.
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