“For a long time all I did was work then come home. For many years alcohol abuse was a big issue in my life. One day randomly I ran into fpv videos on YouTube. Luckily that year my wife got me a cheap RTF from some department store. Finding its limits I immediately took to Instagram and looked for local Fpv hashtags. Luckily a the time I found a pilot by the name of Andrew Mendez using these hashtags. So I reached out to him and asked how I could learn fpv. He said “I’m gonna send you a parts list, if you are serious everything you need is in there.” It took my 5 months to get the courage to build out my first racing drone. During these 5 months alcohol abuse continued till I finally realize that the deep depression I was sinking into was because other than work I didn’t have a life of my own. See we all have work friends but since I’m in a higher position I alienated myself from growing any long lasting bonds with the staff. I’m on the couch one day and i tell myself “I need friends”. I walk into my kitchen & I start staring at all the parts I accumulated & if god himself didn’t say “ look stupid and make friends with this drone and use it as the catalyst to an icebreaker “. Well needless to say I have made the best friendships ever and I add proudly, sober. Slowly this hobby pulled me out of the depression that I saw no end to. It’s brought me to get to know people I never thought I would get to meet. I’ve gone to places to race and instead of competing, I’m just having fun hanging out with everyone. Even if I don’t see a friend pilot for months, it takes seconds to crack open a smile and say “hey fucker””