KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas Citian Geoffrey Arbuckle is sharing his message of hope this holiday season, crediting his family, faith and community for helping him find fulfillment after a lifelong battle with mental health.

“It is an absolute miracle in the way this community and this city have come around me, and I just want to show them it was worth it,” Geoffrey said.

At the age of 20, Geoffrey found himself fighting for his life after a drunk driver put his college baseball career on hold.

The crash left him with a broken neck, his left side paralyzed and in a constant state of excruciating pain.

“I spent months in the hospital and months in rehabilitation, learning how to walk again. Having recovered from that, I think that I carried the weight of that accident for decades and I really didn’t pay attention to my mental health,” he said. “I think the miracle of surviving a broken neck, paralysis and recovery was a weight that I was too immature and maybe too young of a Christian in my faith to bear.”

Eventually, Geoffrey’s mental health struggles led him to lose hope, slowly chipping away at his desire to live.

On May 5, 2023, he attempted to end his life, but destiny had different plans.

“I credit my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who was with me in the garage when I made that fateful decision,” he said. “I didn’t realize I would live, I didn’t realize that I would be saved, but I did know that He would never leave me and that faith permeates every aspect of my life.”

Once again, Geoffrey found himself fighting for his life. But this time, he was surrounded by the unwavering support of his guardian angel China, his wife.

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“It’s no different than if our spouse got a medical diagnosis that was debilitating or they lost their job,” China Arbuckle said. “We don’t just leave them, we’re there unconditionally through thick and thin, through the good and the bad times, and I just knew that our relationship was strong enough that we could make it through anything and I love him.”

The attempt on his life left Geoffrey with permanent vision loss, but the Arbuckle family was determined to illuminate a new path.

Geoffrey’s son, Chandler, came across Missouri’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services, which offers a program called the Business Enterprise Program.

At its core, the program is known for creating job opportunities for visually impaired Missourians by developing business sites in state, federal and other locations.

Geoffrey applied and was admitted into the program in February.

“I went through an interview process, I went through some testing and then was immediately put into their training program,” he said. “And after graduating, I was then given the opportunity to own and operate my own business.”

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By October, Geoffrey was given the green light to own and operate a convenience store inside a downtown Kansas City federal building.

Due to federal regulations, KSHB can’t disclose the location of his store, but Geoffrey believes faith and hope have returned every time he shows up for work.

“This is the best time of my life. I am doing exactly what I want to do every day,” he said.

From balancing business margins to ensuring the store is stocked and in top shape, Geoffrey is able to give his customers a unique experience.

Each customer’s selection fuels his family’s miracle and dispenses hope to a man who now walks by faith rather than sight.

“This miracle, I bear differently. I share it, actually, with the community; I don’t hide it,” Geoffrey said. “I will no longer hide my disabilities. I may work with less, but I’m not less. I’m more blessed to be here, I’m more blessed to be in this community, and I wouldn’t trade my spiritual sight and my spiritual health for my physical sight or physical health.”

The Business Entrepreneurs Program under Missouri’s Vocations Rehabilitation Services helps blind persons achieve success as self-employed entrepreneurs.

As Kansas City continues to embrace the holiday season, a time when loneliness and darkness are often most felt, the Arbuckle family hopes their community remembers there are angels all around to guide you through life’s darkest steps.

“There’s a lot of depression, especially this time of year,” China Arbuckle said. “It’s a joyous season for me, but I understand that there are a lot of people that don’t see it that way, and they just need to get help. Call someone, call a friend, call us, call a help hotline; help is there.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal thoughts and actions, text or call the suicide and crisis lifeline at 988.

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KSHB 41 Traffic anchor/reporter Daniela Leon covers all sorts of transportation topics across Kansas City. Have a story idea to share or a question about something in your neighborhood? Send Daniela a news tip.