continued from page 3 The eldest of nine children, Owens struggled in his youth with issues that many readers will be able to relate to. His mother's battle with a mental illness sent him and his siblings into foster care for some time. In his twenties, Owens was involved in a Jeep accident that nearly cost him his life. But even in the face of poverty and distress, Roger Owens never let it crush his optimistic and warm spirit. continued on page 5