Incarcerated individuals at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution (TSCI) were given the opportunity to interact with motivational speaker and author Ron “Gus” Gustafson on April 23.
Gustafson, author of “Fully Armed,” shared his story of losing his arm and shoulder in a tragic accident as a child and how he has been able to cope and use his sense of humor to thrive in spite of his circumstances. Thirteen men attended the presentation, where Gustafson demonstrated skills that he has acquired in order to overcome obstacles in his life. Several individuals in attendance were invited to attempt skills such as tying a necktie, zipping a jacket and tying a shoelace while only using one hand. Gustafson used these examples, as well as others, to demonstrate what he has found to be the keys to “turning setbacks into comebacks.”
There was a question and answer session at the end of the presentation. Incarcerated individuals were asked to evaluate the topics discussed and to give feedback on what was most helpful for them. A large portion of the feedback showed that the most impactful message was “to never give up.”