On the streets of Exeter, spontaneous conversations often uncover incredible resilience, deep personal reflection, and the unwavering drive to pursue one's passions. In this feature, we connect with Benji to talk about chasing dreams, family connections, navigating mental health, and what brings him true vitality.
For Benji, feeling alive is anchored in ambition, connection, and fully embracing every moment:
"Chasing dreams and just being around family members, those close to you. Those that could be closer, it's an opportunity to build bridges. Just living life, experiencing it, enjoying every moment you can."
Opening up with profound honesty, Benji shares the heavy hurdles he has faced, from mental health challenges to the painful loss of loved ones and how he turned those experiences into strength:
"A lot of mental health issues, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder. Top of that I've lost a lot of loved ones, people that have been really close to me. It's been difficult, but I use it as a lesson. I use it as motivation every day to improve and to strive to make them proud and to carry their memories and their legacies on with me. I'm sad that it's happened, but I'm grateful from the lessons that I've learned from it because it's made me who I am today."
Closing our conversation, Benji shares a powerful and inspiring message for the world on pursuing what you love:
"Chase your dreams, no matter how unrealistic they may seem, no matter how much people might try and persuade you otherwise, don't listen to it. Don't listen to the noise, if it's your passion, if it's your drive, take the world by storm because if you don't take the plunge, you'll never know."
