“My main priority everyday is to come in here with a positive attitude and see students happy.”

Mr. Vasser, one of Tallwood’s security guards, began working at Tallwood as a substitute teacher before becoming a part of the security staff. Prior to working at Tallwood, he used to be in the Military and even worked at the Post office before retiring a few years back.

Everyday Mr. Vasser finds joy in working here.

“I think my favorite thing about my job is when I feel like I’ve influenced a student, and months later I see that one student comes back to me and tells me I’ve made a difference in their life,” he said. Vasser enjoys the feeling of having left an impression on students to change them for the better.

In order to be at Tallwood continuing to do the the job he loves, Mr. Vasser has overcome many difficulties in his life.

“I think the biggest thing that changed me forever was when I got diagnosed with cancer in 2004, and my successful treatment of that cancer,” he said. A shock came to Vasser a little over a year later when his son ended up getting diagnosed with Leukemia, the same type of cancer he had, and passed away not too long after.

“He was 31 years old, with three boys of his own.”

The setbacks in his life gave way to breakthroughs.

“I think that really changed me in a lot of positive ways, because when I was going through high school and college, I was so nervous to talk in front of people,” he admitted. “After I got diagnosed with cancer and especially losing my son, all of a sudden I had no fear of talking to large groups of people.”

Since then, Mr. Vasser has gone to numerous places over the last few years to be a motivational speaker for people who have gone through treatment. He is also involved in fundraising groups to raise money for cancer research. This year, he even got be a presenter at the African American Male Summit.

“It made me feel really important. I like to see the good in people, and I think somebody saw the good in me,” said Vasser.

Photo by author.