Volunteer Spotlight: Grady & Amber Daniel

Grady and Amber Daniel truly embody the R.E.A.L. core values that Discovery is based upon. Respectful, Empowering, Authentic and Loving are the foundation of the way they both live.

Grady and Amber attended the program in Dallas in 2016. They had been together for 6 years and had reached the breaking point of their relationship. While Amber did not go in thinking this would save their relationship, she wanted to attend so Grady would benefit from what the program had to offer. She saw the man in him that he could not see in himself. Not only did he have an amazing awakening, but she too was also able to gain an understanding of what she needed for her own life. Walking through the program taught her the language they needed to communicate, which provided her the ability to finally let go and forgive, own her own accountability and changed the way she views others as well as herself. It gave her the tools necessary to deal with and work through issues as well as help others. It not only saved their relationship but taught her how to love herself fully! It wasn’t the first trip that gave her the freedom and ability to love herself fully. While the first time through did give her the language and tools, it was after her second trip through that she sat down with her husband and was able to truly share things she never had that opened the door to her fully loving and accepting herself. It was then that she learned from Grady how to genuinely forgive in order to gain her complete freedom!

An organization Amber is involved with that hits true to their hearts and lives is CPATH. CPATH is a source for families touched by Cerebral Palsy that provides education and access to tools, equipment and benefits to help them provide for their family members. Amber has been instrumental in advocating public properties such as ice skating rinks and parks to be more inclusive of this group opening up opportunity for those with physical disabilities to partake in activities at these facilities.

For Grady, he walked into D1 with zero accountability, blaming everyone for everything in his life and not needing to work on himself. Grady had built the 2nd top plumbing company in Austin, TX, and was bursting at the seams with total success in his business life. But it wasn’t enough. Having watched his uncle run his own plumbing company he learned how to be successful through anger and by bulldozing people rather than love and encouragement. It was that anger and spite that drove his success. He wasn’t doing it for the love or passion of the business. He explains this as having a ladder with clear rectangular steps he continued to climb except there was always that next level at the top of the ladder, he couldn’t quite grasp or define. It was in Discovery that he realized what that out of reach step was.... PURPOSE!! As Grady puts it, “Discovery saved me from myself!!!” Not only did he find his purpose, but he also found God. His knack for getting people to Discovery is extraordinary. Not only are the Daniels authentic and relatable, but they also listen to and truly care about people. Their authenticity, vulnerability and relatability create trust which is how they have connected so many people to the program. Grady can meet a stranger and have him in the room the next Discovery weekend!

By Stacy Draper, Chair, Community Committee