Cpl Vic Burk 7149160 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I definitely would not have answered my parents even if it were not included in this question. The MOST influential person in my life was without a doubt my seventh grade math teacher, Mrs. Csilla DePue. What set her apart from any other teacher? She cared. After suffering one of the worst beatings of my childhood (at the hands of my father) she was the only teacher who asked me what happened or would even look at me. Other teacher just turned their head so they wouldn&#39;t have to see my two black eyes and all the other visible marks. I still remember the day she held me up from my next class to talk to me. <br /><br />I was scared to death that the shop teacher, Mr. Granger, would write me up and when I got home I would get another beating. She told me she would take care of it but I was doubtful especially when I arrived at shop twenty minutes into the class and the teacher told me I was late. She must have talked to him because not another word was ever said about it.<br /><br /><br />I moved schools in eighth grade over three hundred miles away. She told me to drop her a line and I did, and she wrote me back!<br /><br />I continued to keep in contact with her throughout high school and then in the Marines and on into my civilian life. She was like my mother. When I told her I was going to attend DeVry to get my degree in electronics engineering, Mrs. DePue and my soon to be wife was the only ones who believed I could make it. My own family told me I couldn&#39;t do it! She was there for my graduation from DeVry. I lived my dream of owning an electronics repair business for many years before deciding to go back to school to get my degree in mathematics following in her footsteps of becoming a mathematics teacher. When I have a student in trouble I always reflect back on those days of seventh grade and that wonderful teacher I had who took the time to listen to a troubled child who needed someone they could talk to who wouldn&#39;t judge them.<br /><br />That&#39;s my story, what&#39;s yours?<br /> 2021-07-31T20:42:58-04:00 Cpl Vic Burk 7149160

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I definitely would not have answered my parents even if it were not included in this question. The MOST influential person in my life was without a doubt my seventh grade math teacher, Mrs. Csilla DePue. What set her apart from any other teacher? She cared. After suffering one of the worst beatings of my childhood (at the hands of my father) she was the only teacher who asked me what happened or would even look at me. Other teacher just turned their head so they wouldn&#39;t have to see my two black eyes and all the other visible marks. I still remember the day she held me up from my next class to talk to me. <br /><br />I was scared to death that the shop teacher, Mr. Granger, would write me up and when I got home I would get another beating. She told me she would take care of it but I was doubtful especially when I arrived at shop twenty minutes into the class and the teacher told me I was late. She must have talked to him because not another word was ever said about it.<br /><br /><br />I moved schools in eighth grade over three hundred miles away. She told me to drop her a line and I did, and she wrote me back!<br /><br />I continued to keep in contact with her throughout high school and then in the Marines and on into my civilian life. She was like my mother. When I told her I was going to attend DeVry to get my degree in electronics engineering, Mrs. DePue and my soon to be wife was the only ones who believed I could make it. My own family told me I couldn&#39;t do it! She was there for my graduation from DeVry. I lived my dream of owning an electronics repair business for many years before deciding to go back to school to get my degree in mathematics following in her footsteps of becoming a mathematics teacher. When I have a student in trouble I always reflect back on those days of seventh grade and that wonderful teacher I had who took the time to listen to a troubled child who needed someone they could talk to who wouldn&#39;t judge them.<br /><br />That&#39;s my story, what&#39;s yours?<br />

2021-07-31T20:42:58-04:00 2021-07-31T20:42:58-04:00 CPL Douglas Chrysler 7149219

<div class="images-v2-count-1"><div class="content-picture image-v2-number-1" id="image-617022"> <div class="social_icons social-buttons-on-image"> <a href='https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rallypoint.com%2Fanswers%2Fother-than-a-family-member-who-was-the-most-influential-person-in-your-life%3Futm_source%3DFacebook%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_campaign%3DShare%20to%20facebook' target="_blank" class='social-share-button facebook-share-button'><i class="fa fa-facebook-f"></i></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Other+than+a+family+member%2C+who+was+the+most+influential+person+in+your+life%3F&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rallypoint.com%2Fanswers%2Fother-than-a-family-member-who-was-the-most-influential-person-in-your-life&amp;via=RallyPoint" target="_blank" class="social-share-button twitter-custom-share-button"><i class="fa fa-twitter"></i></a> <a href="mailto:?subject=Check this out on RallyPoint!&body=Hi, I thought you would find this interesting:%0D%0AOther than a family member, who was the most influential person in your life?%0D%0A %0D%0AHere is the link: https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/other-than-a-family-member-who-was-the-most-influential-person-in-your-life" target="_blank" class="social-share-button email-share-button"><i class="fa fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> <a class="fancybox" rel="90184ead32ea7a16327b3de5577820f8" href="https://d1ndsj6b8hkqu9.cloudfront.net/pictures/images/000/617/022/for_gallery_v2/16888534.jpg"><img src="https://d1ndsj6b8hkqu9.cloudfront.net/pictures/images/000/617/022/large_v3/16888534.jpg" alt="16888534" /></a></div></div>There were professional teachers for sure, but when my parents bought our summer place I met a real, last of his kind mountain man. He made and presented me, on my 10th birthday, this yew wood bow. I was so taken with him I actually walked pulling a sled full of special food 6 miles at Christmas so he would have a good holiday. <br />He passed away when I was in Basic, and no one said a word until I took leave that next summer.

2021-07-31T21:19:24-04:00 2021-07-31T21:19:24-04:00 SGT Private RallyPoint Member 7149331

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>And now you are a math teacher!

2021-07-31T22:01:21-04:00 2021-07-31T22:01:21-04:00 Sgt Private RallyPoint Member 7149446

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div><a class="dark-link bold-link" role="profile-hover" data-qtip-container="body" data-id="1666168" data-source-page-controller="question_response_contents" href="/profiles/1666168-cpl-vic-burk">Cpl Vic Burk</a> You had a great story, thank God He sent that teacher to sustain you and help build you up from a rough childhood, to go forward. I also had a difficult childhood which made me get on my own after high school. I can’t think of one person who sticks out to me, there has been a smattering of good people that drifted in and out of my life with some advice or help. I have no doubt God sent them when I needed it. Grateful for all.

2021-07-31T22:58:55-04:00 2021-07-31T22:58:55-04:00 CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member 7149480

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>The gap between motivated and influenced me is a challenge.

2021-07-31T23:15:38-04:00 2021-07-31T23:15:38-04:00 MAJ Ken Landgren 7149627

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Great story!

2021-08-01T02:49:52-04:00 2021-08-01T02:49:52-04:00 MAJ Ken Landgren 7149633

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>My parents knew another couple and had a special bond. One time they said I could live with them in San Antonio, TX and I did. They are the smartest people I knew. Carol and Dudley showed me by example how to be good in life. Act with pure intentions. Do the right thing. Case in point. They made tons money with their medical practices. I talked to Carol about federal income taxes. Later in our conversation she mentioned taxes and it was her duty to pay taxes. They taught me to always be good.

2021-08-01T03:06:12-04:00 2021-08-01T03:06:12-04:00 2021-07-31T20:42:58-04:00