‘Big Brother 18’ Houseguest Victor Arroyo Joins Other Reality Stars As Warrior of Purpose To Help Young People
Big Brother 18 cast member, Victor Arroyo, has taken his stint on the popular CBS reality show and is using it to help others. Victor is part of Warriors of Purpose, a group made up of 12 reality television stars who have joined together in an effort to help young people deal with their problems and avoid destructive behavior they may be tempted to engage in.
Just days ago, Victor took note of a newspaper article written about the group’s efforts by posting the following on Twitter.
“‘Breaking the Silence’ – What we’re doing is real and people are taking notice! It’s truly amazing…”
The Fremont Tribune article reported on a recent school visit made by Warriors of Purpose, a group made up of reality show alumni from Survivor, The Amazing Race, Big Brother, and Naked and Afraid. The members of this unique group spoke at Fremont Middle School in Fremont, Nebraska to teach and inform the audience, filled with young and impressionable students, that they don’t have to feel alone and isolated regarding difficult issues they are facing.
https://www.facebook.com/warriorsofpurposeofficial/videos/1456400407757901/
The true mission of Warriors of Purpose, founded by Sheri LaBrant (The Amazing Race), Rodney Lavoie Jr. (Survivor), and RJ Vied, is the following, according to the group’s website.
“Bring hope and purpose to students through substance abuse and mental health education and awareness.”
The group believes this is very achievable since its member can relate to the students with serious personal struggles of their own. The reality veterans who make up Warriors of Purpose have experienced issues with suicide, anxiety, depression, and even substance abuse, according to the group’s website.
Member and co-founder Sheri is the mother of YouTube sensation Cole LaBrant. She told the middle school audience during last week’s presentation that she once felt as though she was “falling into a pit of depression” but hid her feelings from others who thought she was fine, according to the Tribune. Sheri said she “stopped eating” to lose weight, which created a scenario in which she was “completely dying” and hated herself.
Sheri and Cole appeared as a mother/son duo racing around the world several seasons ago on The Amazing Race.
Yet another Warrior of Purpose, Shane Lewis, who appeared on the reality show Naked and Afraid, spoke out, saying he had a terrible childhood due to living in various foster homes and experiencing abuse. He noted that he would try and adapt to a new school each time he was forced to transfer, which made him lose his real identity. The Tribune notes that Shane advised the students to “…figure out who you are for real.”
RJ, who according to his Facebook page is not only one of the founders of Warriors of Purpose but also serves as the director of business development of the South Florida Recovery Center, told students he believes that silence about negative issues and experiences is the “…number one killer in America…,” the Tribune reports. At last week’s event he said he had once experienced such great anxiety, he wanted to die.
According to the Warriors of Purpose website, the group of reality stars taking part in the group “distinguishes themselves from other like-minded groups” because they bring “instant credibility to the stage.” The website notes that although not every member of Warriors of Purpose has had the same experiences, “they have cumulatively experienced first-hand” serious substance abuse and mental health issues.
https://www.facebook.com/warriorsofpurposeofficial/videos/1451710358226906/?permPage=1
According to the Tribune, what these individual reality stars have in common is that they were able to overcome issues they experienced in their lives. They are traveling the country to get their message out to young people so they can remain “focused” on their “dreams” and what type of person they ultimately want to be in the future.
[Featured Image by Warriors of Purpose/Facebook]
