Our Journey

Blue & Malinda's Journey

Blue & Malinda’s Journey

Blue &

Malinda’s

Journey

Blue & Malinda’s Journey

Why We're Sharing This

Why We’re Sharing This

It grew out of our own experiences—through faith, failure, forgiveness, hard work, and eventually finding our way back home to the Florida Panhandle.

Our story isn't unique. People lose their way every day. What matters is what happens next.

This is the story of how we found our way back—and why we built

The Rising Blue.

It grew out of our own experiences—through faith, failure, forgiveness, hard work, and eventually finding our way back home to the Florida Panhandle.

Our story isn’t unique. People lose their way every day. What matters is what happens next.

This is the story of how we found our way back—and why we built

The Rising Blue.

It grew out of our own experiences—through faith, failure, forgiveness, hard work, and eventually finding our way back home to the Florida Panhandle.

Our story isn’t unique. People lose their way every day. What matters is what happens next.

This is the story of how we found our way back—and why we built

The Rising Blue.

Where It All Began

Middle School in the Florida Panhandle. Young,

just friends, and completely unaware of where life

would lead.

Middle School in the Florida Panhandle. Young,

just friends, and completely unaware of where life

would lead.

Our story began long before there was a logo, a website, or even the idea of The Rising Blue. It began with two kids growing up in the Florida Panhandle.

We first met in middle school while growing up in the Florida Panhandle. It wasn't anything serious—just a few dates and the kind of friendship that comes naturally when you're young. What stood out most about Malinda was her humility. She was kind, easy to talk to, and the type of person who made everyone around her feel comfortable.

Life eventually took us in different directions. We both married, raised families, and spent nearly a decade apart.

After her divorce, Malinda focused on raising her daughter and son while building a career in nursing. Like many single parents, she worked hard, made sacrifices, and simply kept moving forward. Looking back, those qualities became part of the foundation of our family and, years later, part of the foundation of The Rising Blue.

When my marriage ended in 2012, a mutual friend brought us back together, and by 2013 we had started building a life together.

At the time, I was serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, and Malinda moved with me to Louisiana. Together we blended our families, balanced careers, raised our children, and learned what building a life really required. Like many young couples, we believed love would be enough. We eventually learned that lasting relationships require much more than love alone.

Our story began long before there was a logo, a website, or even the idea of The Rising Blue. It began with two kids growing up in the Florida Panhandle.

Life eventually took us in different directions. We both married, raised families, and spent nearly a decade apart.

When my marriage ended in 2012, a mutual friend brought us back together, and by 2013 we had started building a life together.

Losing Our Way

Success on the outside. Struggle on the inside.

Late in my military career, alcohol slowly became something I depended on. What began as a way to deal with stress gradually affected nearly every part of my life.

After leaving the Coast Guard, we moved to Pensacola before I accepted a position in Birmingham. Unfortunately, my addiction followed me there.

Over time, alcohol cost me almost everything. I lost jobs, stability, peace of mind, and very nearly my family.

Eventually, Malinda made one of the hardest decisions of her life, and she left me. She wasn't trying to punish me, but truly felt in her heart it was the best for her and her kids.

She was protecting herself and our family, and looking back, I understand why she had to make that decision.

For nearly a year we lived separate lives while I continued losing pieces of the life we had hoped to build.

Late in my military career, alcohol slowly became something I depended on. What began as a way to deal with stress gradually affected nearly every part of my life.

After leaving the Coast Guard, we moved to Pensacola before I accepted a position in Birmingham. Unfortunately, my addiction followed me there.

Over time, alcohol cost me almost everything. I lost jobs, stability, peace of mind, and very nearly my family.

Eventually, Malinda made one of the hardest decisions of her life, and she left me. She wasn’t trying to punish me, but truly felt in her heart it was the best for her and her kids.

She was protecting herself and our family, and looking back, I understand why she had to make that decision.

For nearly a year we lived separate lives while I continued losing pieces of the life we had hoped to build.

The Morning Everything Changed

The Morning Everything Changed

The Morning Everything Changed

The Morning Everything Changed

March 15, 2015

Eventually, I reached a point where there was nowhere left to run.

One night in Birmingham, after losing my career, my vehicle, and the woman I loved, I sat alone in my apartment with nothing but my dogs and a bottle.

That night I prayed honestly. I promised God that if I woke up the next morning, I would quick drinking.

When morning came, the bottle was still sitting where I had left it. Unopened.

I called my dad and asked him to come get me and bring me home.

That day didn't fix everything. It didn't restore relationships or erase the damage I had caused. It simply marked the day I stopped making excuses and accepted responsibility for rebuilding my life.

Eventually, I reached a point where there was nowhere left to run.

One night in Birmingham, after losing my career, my vehicle, and the woman I loved, I sat alone in my apartment with nothing but my dogs and a bottle.

That night I prayed honestly. I promised God that if I woke up the next morning, I would quick drinking.

When morning came, the bottle was still sitting where I had left it. Unopened.

I called my dad and asked him to come get me and bring me home.

That day didn’t fix everything. It didn’t restore relationships or erase the damage I had caused. It simply marked the day I stopped making excuses and accepted responsibility for rebuilding my life.

March 15, 2015 became the first day of a life I once believed was no longer possible.

Choosing Each Other Again

It wasn't easy. It wasn't overnight.

But it was worth it.

It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t overnight.

But it was worth it.

We decided it was.

After I had been sober for a while, I sent Malinda an email. I didn't know if she would respond. She had every reason not to, and several previous attempts had gone unanswered.

What I didn't know was that earlier that same day she had been praying for God to help her move forward with her life and take the thought of us from her mind.

Instead, she received my email and we agreed to meet.

There wasn't an instant reconciliation. Trust had to be rebuilt, forgiveness had to be extended, and after a long embrace in the middle of that parking lot, we both had to decide whether our relationship was worth trying to save.

After I had been sober for a while, I sent Malinda an email. I didn’t know if she would respond. She had every reason not to, and several previous attempts had gone unanswered.

What I didn’t know was that earlier that same day she had been praying for God to help her move forward with her life and take the thought of us from her mind.

Instead, she received my email and we agreed to meet.

There wasn’t an instant reconciliation. Trust had to be rebuilt, forgiveness had to be extended, and after a long embrace in the middle of that parking lot, we both had to decide whether our relationship was worth trying to save.

A New Beginning

We weren't just building a marriage,

we were building a home.

We weren’t just building a marriage,

we were building a home.

This is where our next chapter truly began.

We eventually returned to Louisiana, where we continued rebuilding our family.

I accepted greater responsibilities at work, completed my MBA, and continued growing professionally. Malinda continued serving others through nursing while also continuing her own education. Her commitment to helping people and improving herself has never changed.

In July 2016, we were married in New Orleans.

Looking back, our greatest accomplishment wasn't a degree, a promotion, or a job title. It was building a life together, raising our children to the best of our ability, and refusing to quit on each other.

We eventually returned to Louisiana, where we continued rebuilding our family.

In July 2016, we were married in New Orleans.

Looking back, our greatest accomplishment wasn’t a degree, a promotion, or a job title. It was building a life together, raising our children to the best of our ability, and refusing to quit on each other.

We eventually returned to Louisiana, where we continued rebuilding our family.

In July 2016, we were married in New Orleans.

In 2024, we returned home to the Florida Panhandle. Coming home felt like the right place to begin our next chapter and to continue building our family.

The Rising Blue wasn't created simply to sell clothing. It was created to celebrate faith, family, hard work, integrity, service, and the people who quietly live those values every day. But more importantly, how we can overcome the challenges we all face in life.

We see them in parents raising families, veterans continuing to serve, nurses caring for others, teachers shaping the next generation, first responders answering the call, tradesmen building our communities, farmers working before sunrise, fishermen heading out before dawn, and small business owners investing in their hometowns.

To us, what you wear can represent more than a style. It can reflect your character, your values, and where you call home.

In 2024, we returned home to the Florida Panhandle. Coming home felt like the right place to begin our next chapter and to continue building our family.

The Rising Blue wasn’t created simply to sell clothing. It was created to celebrate faith, family, hard work, integrity, service, and the people who quietly live those values every day. But more importantly, how we can overcome the challenges we all face in life.

To us, what you wear can represent more than a style. It can reflect your character, your values, and where you call home.

Because Charter is Built One Day at a Time

We hope you see a little of your own story in ours.

Why We Built the Rising Blue