JACKSONVILLE, FL–As a gay teen growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, Seth Owen suffered from suicidal thoughts and depression. After learning of his sexual orientation by snooping on his cell phone, Seth’s parents knee-jerk reaction was to send him to months of conversion therapy. When that failed to “cure” their son of homosexuality, his conservative and deeply religious parents gave him a ultimatum–go to church or leave their home. For Seth Owen’s the decision was easy. He left the only home he had ever known to couch surf in friends’ livingrooms.
After one of his teachers started a GoFundMe page to generate money to pay for Seth’s tuition at Georgetown University, he rose to national fame on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, and started a scholarship fund called Unbroken Horizons.