I was raised in Orlando, Florida, as the eldest of six children by a single mother.

I learned early that responsibility is not an abstract value, but a daily practice. From a young age, I learned how to listen, how to protect, and how to remain steady when others needed support. Caring for people was never a career decision; it was woven into who I was becoming. That foundation quietly guided me.

Throughout my life, I have been drawn to moments when people feel overwhelmed, unheard, or alone. Guided by faith and a deep sense of purpose, my work has always centered on clarity, compassion, and protection. For decades, I advocated for individuals and families navigating some of life’s most vulnerable seasons—helping them find dignity, understanding, and peace when it felt hardest to do so.

When I retired at sixty‑two, believing it was the conclusion of my professional journey, I found instead that it was the beginning of my truest calling. From a guest bedroom in my home, I founded AgedCare, a Professional Guardianship Company. I didn’t imagine that it would grow into one of Florida’s most influential professional guardianship organizations.

What began as a second career revealed itself as my true way to show clarity, compassion, and protection to others.

I was able to stand in the gap for those without a voice, preserving dignity when it mattered most, and guiding families through the complexity of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease with care and humanity.

This calling is deeply rooted in legacy. I am the great‑great‑grandson of Webster Joshua Hartage, a slave, freed by the Emancipation Proclamation at nine years of age, and the great‑grandson of an AME pastor whose faith and leadership shaped generations. The values passed down through my family—Christian faith, service, a good education, and responsibility—have shaped not only what I do, but why I do it and who I am.

My service extends beyond guardianship. I am a former Orange County Commissioner, a recipient of two Congressional Citations for Outstanding Community Service, and the founder of The Hartage Foundation, Inc., where I continue my lifelong commitment to advocacy, education, and community uplift.

I began writing not to become an author but as a guardian to others. It’s funny, but I am still learning to find comfort in being called an author. My writing is inspired by the many lives at risk that I serve as a guardian. Some of them are forgotten, souls. My books exist to preserve memory, protect dignity, and ensure that every story of those I serve leaves an echo. The Memory Box, Charlotte’s Big Surprise enshrines this heartfelt belief.

Every role I have held, every life I have been entrusted to care for, and every story I have witnessed led me here—a calling fulfilled and a legacy unfolding.