Have you ever spoken to someone who had so much depth to their soul that a one minute conversation left you feeling hungry for more? Had an intrigued feeling that made you want to talk longer and ask more questions, simply because that person has so much “life”to share. Well I can tell you, Anthony McCastle is one of those people. After just a few moments of conversation with him, you will find that this man has substance: he is salt of the earth.
From “tragedy to triumph”is the story behind this Hahira, Georgia native. At the young age of 13, a young man by the name of Anthony McCastle faced the unimaginable heart-wrenching death of both parents, due to drug abuse, and then found himself along with his two brothers, in an unfamiliar environment and care of people he had never met. After experiencing an array of obstacles, it’s safe to say that landing in the arms of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Boys Ranch was just the beginning.
Although McCastle’s adolescent years started off rocky, he quickly became an over achiever. From his initial success in middle school academics and athletics, he went on to find victory in all that he became a part of. From the star player of the Lowndes High Football team, to a Valdosta State University graduate, on to become an officer in the United States Army, McCastle never slowed down. He has excelled in every aspect of his life, from an emotional to a professional standpoint.
When asked what he attributes his success to, he will quickly tell you: family. Once more, his family is not the stereotypical family. His family is huge….as in the campus and people of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Boys Ranch. He titles Beth Tillman, former Director of Child Care at the Ranch, his surrogate mother (a role she takes great price in). He said long after he graduated high school, Beth stayed in touch with him as he navigated through life outside the boundaries of Hahira, as any mother would. She was a large part of how he ended up back in the little south Georgia town.
That’s right. McCastle conquered the odds, traveled the world, achieved one accomplishment after another, and at the end of the day, came back home. After his enlisted term came to a close with the military in August of 2014, the opportunity came available for a house parent position at the Boys Ranch. Although he never had any inclination that he would finish out a tour of duty with the army and then decide to be a “home body”for the next season of his life, he was quick to say that his greatest accomplishment hasn’t been professional; it’s the role he now plays as a husband and a father. During his volunteering days between college and enlisting, McCastle came back and forth to the campus spending time with the residents. He knew there was a draw to the place, feeling compelled to always give back. Even after years of attributing the Boys Ranch as his “saving grace”in life, he never knew he would end up there permanently again. When he married his wife Crystal and had their son, Ashton, and daughter, Zoey, neither had any intentions of later sharing the walls within the Steele Cottage, let alone add two more to the family and home.
“Everything I questioned as a boy makes sense now. I can relate to these two guys (residents of the home) with the things that I had to overcome and the things they will have to overcome. It’s been challenging and we are all adjusting, but we are family. I mean more than my wife and my two kids; the two boys that are under my care now are part of my family. That was the one thing I always remember was so special and made such an impact in my life. My houseparent was never just a houseparent: I didn’t live in a cottage on the campus of a youth facility, I lived with my family in our home. I want to provide that same atmosphere to my guys and my family. Although my wife Crystal is more of a ‘girlie girl, crafty and all, she is finding her niche spending time involved with the girls, but my kids Ashton and Zoey just fit right in. The think they are in one big neighborhood and are loving it.”
It has been a long journey to come back home…but I came back and I have a purpose. We are family here and there’s no place I’d rather be for the holidays than here.
Years ago, my house parents provided me with the opportunity to feel cared for and supported. They embraced me and enabled me to become who I am today and I’ve always wanted to show my appreciation for that in some way. Now I realize there is no more rewarding way to give back to the Ranch, than offering to these guys what was offered to me.
The holidays are always magical, but you don’t know the true magic of Christmas until you know what family is, what love is, what a home is.” said McCastle.