Sometimes, all it takes is a shoulder to lean on. It was perfectly normal for you to feel discouraged and even wanted to give up at some point; you had been through quite a lot. But, then, you sure would have never seen the end of it—which is becoming who you are now—if you hadn't kept going, despite how far you came. Thankfully, you met such an inspiring person, who even had it worse than you but was still willing to go on, and he carried you along.