From the South Side of Chicago, I grew up with one goal in mind — to make my city proud.
At 17 years old, I joined the United States Navy, later serving in the Army alongside some of the greatest human beings I have ever known. Service taught me discipline, sacrifice, brotherhood, and purpose. After surviving injuries overseas, I was medically retired and stepped into corporate America, but deep down I knew something was missing.
My purpose was never meant to stop at surviving. It was meant to continue through serving others.
Living with PTSD changed my understanding of mental health and healing. I knew firsthand how important it was to be seen, supported, and given hope. That realization led me to work with disabled veterans through cycling therapy, riding nearly 600 miles with Ride2Recovery. From there, I became a board member for Pedal for Life, helping individuals battling substance abuse — something I witnessed impact my own community growing up on the South Side.
As a father, I also understood the responsibility of being the example. I worked with at-risk youth through Lincoln's Challenge because I believed the next generation deserved guidance, patience, and someone who truly cared.
Somewhere along the journey, I realized giving back wasn't just something I did… it was who I was.
Then my daughter, Jasmine Nicole, began showing her love for art.
At that moment, I knew I had to become an artist too — not just for myself, but so I could one day open doors for her that I never had growing up. That journey led me to custom rug artistry and the creation of Royalty Rugs, now reborn as Thread Theory.
Thread Theory is more than rugs. It is the belief that every life, every struggle, every dream, and every person is connected through unseen threads. Every piece we create carries emotion, healing, storytelling, and purpose woven into it.
Alongside my best friend, Ebony Sade, we also created Love You. Hope You Love You Too. — an initiative where we create heart-shaped rugs and give them away to people across the country. Because I know what it feels like to feel invisible. And I never want another person to carry that feeling alone.
I never set out to be famous. I just wanted to be a good man. A good father. A good human being.
Thread Theory is the combination of every chapter of my life — service, pain, healing, fatherhood, art, community, and love — woven together into something real.
