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SHANE ALLEN SALTER
"It is easier to build strong children than to rebuild broken men."
Frederick Douglass
About the Author
Sometimes I hear people say I was broken by a system meant to protect me. Buta system didn’t break me — I was broken by people who continue to let that system justify and make excuses for abuse and neglect. Many of those people made reckless decisions with no accountability for the lifelong damage they caused the little boy I tried to be.
Through every setback, I’ve found a more profound truth: we are not defined by what we’ve endured, but by how we rise.
I don’t tell my story for sympathy. I tell it for the ones still in the storm. The ones questioning their worth. Those who are becoming, who they were always meant to be.
I’m now a grandfather, an Emmy Award–winning author, a truth-teller, and a voice for the unheard. I’ve led organizations, spoken to crowds, held grieving parents, mentored youth, and taught in classrooms. But the title I wear with the most pride is survivor, turned builder of people, of hope, and of legacy.
My upcoming book, Brave in the Dark, isn’t just about foster care, pain, or survival. It’s about what happens when you choose healing over hate, when you decide to grow instead of staying broken. Believe me, it's true, "what doesn't kill you, can make you stronger."
Living Purposefully Determined
1. Acknowledge the Pain
- You can’t heal what you won’t name. Start by telling the truth—your truth. That means letting yourself remember what happened without minimizing it, excusing it, or burying it under “I turned out fine.” You didn’t.
2. Create Safety
The child in you needs to know he's safe now. That you’re not going to abandon him, numb him, or silence him anymore. This might look like setting boundaries, seeking therapy, or forgiving yourself in moments of shame.
3. Grieve What Was Lost
Grieve the innocence stolen, the birthdays missed, the hugs you never got. Grieve the father who wasn’t there, the mother who couldn’t protect you, the normal you never had. Let the tears fall—they’re not weakness, they’re release.
4. Reparent Yourself
Begin feeding yourself the words you were starved of:
You matter. You are not a burden. I see you. I believe you.
And slowly, you will start to believe them too.
5. Rewrite the Narrative
You are not what happened to you. Reclaim the story—not by forgetting the pain, but by transforming it. Your scars don’t make you broken; they make you bold.
6. Speak the Truth Out Loud
Healing does not need to hide — it happens when we speak.
Whether whispered in prayer, shouted in song,
spilled through spoken word,
or shared with survivors — Someone else may need to know your truth
Give your pain a voice.
Give your healing a rhythm.
Live your life purposefully -because it is.
Restoration
Many of us have moments when we doubt our worth and feel like we'll never be happy again. But even during difficult times, we can find beauty in our lives. We can discover strength in our vulnerabilities, resilience in our hearts, and the courage to reflect, regain, heal, and rebuild. By embracing healing, self-discovery, and personal growth, we can create a new life filled with hope, happiness, and a stronger sense of who we are.
Book Overview
Dive into the world of Shane Salter's latest book, which intricately weaves themes of love, loss, and resilience. This compelling narrative promises to keep readers engaged from the first page to the last.