STC graduate celebrates second chance at life
Related Story
A 48-year-old man said he ended up pursuing a new dream after losing everything.
Benigno "Benny" Layton is celebrating his graduation from South Texas College, and said higher education gave him a second calling in life.
"I had just gone through a divorce, I lost my family — within the same year I lost my father in an accident,” Layton said. “I lost my business... basically, I had nowhere to go."
Layton said he felt he had hit rock bottom at the age of 43. That’s when he decided to get his bachelor's degree in organizational leadership.
“That was my motivation, my goal, to move up and not become somebody that wasn't important… and that's exactly what I set out to do," Layton said.
Not only was Layton able to finish his studies, he worked on campus at the technology department, where he eventually landed a job as a special events' technician for STC.
Layton now serves as an announcer for the school's events — a role allows him to follow in his father's footsteps.
The late Beningo Layton Sr. was an announcer for the Edcouch-Elsa Yellowjackets for years.
Layton said he hopes his story motivates others to not give up when everything seems to be going wrong.
"A lot of people say ‘estas viejo, you're old.’” Layton said. “And I’m like, it’s never too late to go back. I’m living proof that it's never too late to be successful in life."
News
