By SARAH HODGES
Special to the Daily News

Young people across the county were treated to the Steve Carrier experience last week, all thanks to the Washington Assembly of God Church.
Steve Carrier, the man behind Mega Force, brought not only his feats of strength but his messages of empowerment and encouragement to schools in Beaufort County by day and young people and families by night.
The Guinness Book World Record-holder, who resides in Dallas, Texas, has traveled the country for 19 years providing more than 200 presentations a year — all to reach young people. His mission is to see youth reach their potential.
“My prayer for our young people is they choose to hang around with supportive friends who hold into the dreams they have,” Carrier explained.
As a child, Carrier faced adversity in the form of health problems that left him in leg braces until the age of 14. He was told he would never walk again.
His mind was made up. He would become an athlete. Carrier went from leg braces to a full scholarship to play basketball at Arkansas Tech University. During that journey, he began weightlifting and realized there was even more for him to accomplish.
“I began to watch ESPN’s Strong Man competition,” Carrier said. “I began to see how to draw an audience.” He went on to explain the feats of strength he performs, such as tearing apart telephone books and baseball bats, are great ways to get people to tune in to hear the bigger message.
Carrier began his talk with students at P.S. Jones Middle School on Friday with a statement he knows all too well. “You weren’t born a winner or a loser, you are born a chooser!”
His presentations take on issues young people face every day. The common themes are to empower young people to make good choices and encourage one another.
According to Carrier, his biggest challenges to getting his message out is “getting through the right doors at the right time and finding people who share his same burden.”
To talk to Carrier, it becomes obvious his heart is in his work as much as ever. And he doesn’t forget the lives that have crossed his path along this journey.
“There was a young girl named Ray Ray,” he remembered. This young woman was a self-cutter who ended up giving Carrier her razor blade, so he could help someone else. “And there was a football player who was in the middle of his parent’s divorce.” The young man had in his possession a handgun, ready to attempt suicide.” Carrier and school officials arranged for the young man to turn over the weapon and get the help he needed.
Carrier explained his one message to parents. “Be there and encourage. But most importantly, listen.”
He also offered a heartfelt thank you to the community for the welcome he received while in Beaufort County.
“Thanks for the support and please keep doing what it takes to keep the focus on family,” he said.
In his own words, he is still “shocked” at the progress he has been able to make with his mission. But as he drills into the young people he meets, he has no plans of giving up and they should not either.
For more information on Steve Carrier and his mission, visit www.stevecarrier.org.