Alumni Stories

Javier Castillo testifies before Senate Committee on Health and Human Services in 2017

Born with cerebral palsy, Danny’s childhood was full of the scrutiny that comes when one is “different”. For Danny, letting others know him was taking a chance in a big way. But he did take that chance. On a summer trip to Colorado in 1986, he joined other Youth Ranchers in climbing to the peak of Elk Tooth Mountain, a mountain with an elevation of 13,000 ft. In fact, he led his team to the top. After the descent, Danny sat in his tent at base camp and wrote a poem, which was later made into a song called “Take a Chance”. Danny was changed forever on that day, as were all who climbed with him. Today, Danny lives in San Antonio and has had a successful career in electronics.