I’m the kind of guy who’d share a coffee and a laugh about my mishaps before I ever boast about my wins. As the producer and director behind The Sanctuary, I believe stories and people shine brightest when we lead with humility.
Life has a way of teaching us profound truths through the fire of experience. Two quotes have become my guiding lights, each capturing a side of the human spirit: “Miracles start to happen when you give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears,” by Richard Wilkins, and “Most people die at the age of 25, but they just get buried at the age of 75,” by Benjamin Franklin. Both are true, and they’ve shaped my journey from a timid kid in Germany to a man building his dreams.
Growing up in Germany, my childhood was far from idyllic. Marked by violence at home and relentless bullying at school, I turned to martial arts at age 12 as a means of self-protection. Bruce Lee became my hero, and I wanted to learn what he knew. Little did I know, it would ignite a lifelong passion and profession. Deep down, two dreams burned brightly in me as a young boy: owning a Ferrari, fueled by my love for cars, and living in the United States, the land of endless opportunity, and the Grand Canyon, which I admired from my childhood on. These weren’t fleeting wishes; they were shaped by the tales of my youth, including Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn in the 60’s, the breathtaking vistas of Monument Valley showcased in cinematic masterpieces like “Once Upon a Time in the West” I’ve watched in the 70’s – my dad’s favorite Western, which I grew to love as well. And tunes like Van Halen’s “Dreams,” in the 80’s. But as we grow, the world often tries to dim those flames, insisting that dreams are out of reach.
Humble beginnings
It all began with a friendship that felt like destiny. In 1973, at age 10, my family moved from Bavaria to a town near Stuttgart in Baden-Württemberg. That’s where I met Dragan. Our first encounter? He slapped me for no reason on my first day of school. But the next day, he showed up at my door to apologize, and from then on, we were inseparable, like modern-day Tom and Huck. We shared everything, especially our obsession with fast cars. Raised in middle-class families, we had all we needed, but we were also taught that “people like us” couldn’t afford luxuries like Ferraris or Lamborghinis. Yet, as kids, the world felt limitless.
By our early teens, we’d settled on our dream cars: a Lamborghini Countach LP400S for me and a Ferrari BB512 for him. Our friendship was quite like the stories of Tom and Huck; we spent endless days together, pulling pranks that left us laughing until our sides ached, playing on blankets out in the fields “Top Trumps” card games (known as Quartetts in Germany) with stats on cars, ships and planes, and building massive fleets of Revell and Airfix model ships for epic naval battles against our neighbor peers. We’d hustle for every penny: returning bottles for deposits, delivering newspapers, and taking odd jobs to fund our adventures. Those years forged our “Childhood Dreams”, owning those cars and moving to America.
Dreams with Deadlines become Goals
Dreams with deadlines become goals, they say. Mine? Own a Ferrari by 24 and live in the U.S. by 26.
A few years later as 14- to 18-year-old teens, we chased thrills on off-road motorcycles, racing motocross and dodging the police on unlicensed bikes. Life felt wild and boundless. We had the most fun and excitement any young guys could imagine. But that all came to an end when at 18, Dragan was drafted into mandatory military service in Yugoslavia. The day he left, we hugged goodbye in tears, not knowing it would be our last as true friends.
When he returned 18 months later, the exciting spirit I knew was gone—replaced by bitterness and disillusionment. He dismissed our dreams as “stupid child’s play,” lost to the “real world.” Months turned to years, and I had to accept that my best friend had “died” at 20, embodying Franklin’s quote. That was 1983, and it broke my heart, but it fueled my resolve to keep dreaming. 
Drafting the Blueprint for Your Tomorrow
I pressed on, unyielding. One year before, at 19, in 1982, I took my first trip to the U.S., training under Filipino Martial Arts Grandmaster Rene Latosa, who became my mentor for 16 years. Of all the martial arts teacher I had the privilege to be taught by, he was the most influential. GM Rene Latosa passed away on June 4, 2022.
In the same year, in 1982, I also joined Germany’s EWTO organization, studying under the late Wing Tsun Grandmaster Keith Kernspecht. Training seven days a week, I became an instructor that same year. I was a student of GM Keith Kernspecht from 1982 till 1990. GM Kernspecht passed away on November 25, 2024. (Read more about my martial arts career here)
In 1987, at 24, I tried to immigrate to the U.S. but failed despite hiring an attorney. Crushed, I returned to Germany and ended up homeless for 1½ years, living in a shed without running water, electricity, or heat, just minutes from Dragan’s home. He never visited. I washed myself in snow, scavenged for food, and nearly froze to death. In desperation, I salvaged a cast-iron stove and chopped wood to survive. Daily, I’d take a train to stare at a Ferrari 328 GTS in a showroom window, visualizing ownership amid my rags and hunger. Society pressured me to conform, get a job, take a loan, forget freedom. In socialist Germany, dreamers were outsiders.
I nearly broke. One day, I contemplated ending it all; a coin flip, and what I believe was God’s intervention saved me. Faith became my anchor, the only thing God can truly reward. Miracles followed. In early 1989, after years of hustle and unshakeable belief, I made the first dream happen, I bought a brand-new Ferrari. That day was undoubtedly the happiest of my life, I felt as if I might burst from overwhelming joy. I was on the verge of a heart attack while driving the car home. I vividly recall waiting at a red light on Neckartalstraße, right next to the Zoo called “Wilhelma” in Stuttgart. The custom-tuned V8, with its flat-plane crankshaft, was idling through the specially designed race exhaust. I “tapped” the gas pedal, and a wave of chills swept over me as the engine roared to life. In an instant, I found myself sobbing and laughing uncontrollably, alternating between the two. I let out a scream as loud as I could. People passing the street at the light naturally gazed at the shiny red Ferrari, then looked at me, going nuts inside the car. I’m sure they thought I was a drug dealer who’d used too much of his own product! Everything shifted: my martial arts business boomed, more exotic cars followed, and my spirit soared.
This was my “First Epoch”, childhood play turning into real triumphs, aided by friends like Kurt, who traded martial arts lessons for help escaping homelessness. Challenges forged me: poverty, rejection, near-death cold. That Ferrari wasn’t just a car; it was proof that faith moves mountains.
In late 1990, dream two materialized, I moved to the U.S., selling everything to start anew. I sold my exotic cars and left my career behind. It was daunting: cultural barriers, starting from zero, and uncertainty loomed large. It took me one year to get my feet on the ground. I started to teach my first martial arts class. A few years later, I became a private contractor for the U.S. military special operations. By the mid-nineties, I was teaching on three continents: the U.S., Europe, and Australia.
The next real test came in 1999 with an incident where I suffered a massive brain bleed, broken neck, lacerated organs, and more, in a coma, doctors said I’d never wake up or, if I did, I’d be quadriplegic for life.
In a near-death experience, I glimpsed my purpose, and for reasons only known to God and His Angels, I came back. After unexpectedly waking from my coma, defying odds through sheer will and two years of physical rehab, in which I had to learn how to walk and talk again. I had to start all over. Right after being cleared from the grueling rehab, a semi-truck crushed me at an out-of-order traffic light while I was standing still. It reopened my brain bleed. Leaving the hospital, I received another punch in the gut; unrelated to the accident, I suddenly faced financial collapse. Seriously bad judgment calls on my part and mistakes I made compounded the consequences of the aftermath.
I keep remembering my childhood when I prayed to God, asking for an adventurous life. While I certainly have no regrets, mishaps and all, I raise my eyebrows and tell my younger self to be careful what you wish for. You might get everything you asked for. By 2001, I dove into film production, building a home studio pre-YouTube era.
Fast forward to today.
Why Did I Start The Sanctuary Project?
Because I believe in win/win deals. I don’t like to lose. You might find it hard to believe me when I say the story above was just a glimpse into my adventures and challenges I needed to overcome and barely scratched the surface. Because of my experiences, I also don’t like to see other people lose. If we want to get ahead in life, we all need to support each other. As for me, I have purchased a patch of land in a remote area of New Mexico, and that is where I plan to construct my Sanctuary. I connected my passion for filmmaking with this project. And ultimately, I wanted to extract as much value as I could return to people by creating “The Sanctuary” Project.
A high-tech, off-grid homestead and post production studio for future Sanctuary sequels, using Starlink, AI security, and sustainable farming to teach self-reliance through our docuseries.
INVESTORS NEEDED
We need investors to make this amazing project a reality. The number is $6.8 million. The impact it can have on people’s lives is priceless. At this moment, I have sent over 7,800 emails to potential investors. I also sent dozens of hard copies, posters, and USB drives with trailers, explainer reels, and teaser decks to potential investors. For example, I sent three different presentation packages to Elon Musk (@elonmusk) via priority mail/signature required. Thus far, no response. I know the man is incredibly busy, but I also know he would love this project. I’m not spending much time in this article writing about “The Sanctuary,” except with a short paragraph below. When you read this article, chances are you’ve already seen the website at www.thesanctuary.film or follow me on X @WGS328.
The Sanctuary of Healing
Time just went by in a flash. I am now in my sixties, but I still have big plans. Even though I literally got dismantled on multiple occasions, we have incredible ways to heal our body and mind. This healing process is also an integrated part of “The Sanctuary.” At the heart of The Sanctuary is a truth I live by: “You can’t build a self-reliant life without a strong body and a fueled mind.” Fitness and proper nutrition aren’t just add-ons, they’re the backbone of survival.
In the series, I will team up with stretching coaches and fitness experts to tackle old injuries head-on during months-long, demanding self-defense sessions with renown Martial Arts Masters and CQB (Close Quarters Battle) sessions that I will conduct with some of the finest former special operators of the US military, as a student again, so you, the viewer, can learn from it. It’s a practical, step-by-step process that shows how targeted stretching and expert guidance can rebuild mobility and strength, even after years of wear and tear. I will rebuild my body to a competitive state and guide viewers through my workout program, breaking down exercises, why I choose specific lifts, how they build functional power for real-world tasks, and tips for adapting them to your own level. Included are adaptable routines emphasizing bodyweight exercises, functional movements, and progressive overload to foster endurance for survival scenarios and the agility needed for self-defense.
Demand Oriented Nutrition
Three words: Demand. Oriented. Nutrition. Back in the late 1980s, I had the privilege of studying under Heinrich Tönnies at the University of Stuttgart in Germany. That’s where I first encountered Heinrich’s studies on “Demand-Oriented Nutrition”, a scientific approach to tailoring your diet based on your body’s specific needs.
Those needs are individually unique and depend on your lifestyle, the climate you live in, and the work you do. It’s not about trends or fads; it’s about understanding what your body demands and making sure it gets exactly that. At The Sanctuary, I share practical, no-nonsense advice for eating sustainably, with organic, non-GMO ingredients you can grow in your own backyard. Remember that your body is your first tool. Nourish it to meet the demands of the life you want to live.
I hope this article has done something good for you. Maybe it gave you hope while facing a big challenge. Perhaps it got you curious about “The Sanctuary.” In any event, I’d love to hear from you on X @WGS328. Write me and let me know if this story had an impact on you. With this in mind, I wish you all the success you ever wanted in your life.
“Inspired? Join ‘The Sanctuary’s’ mission at www.thesanctuary.film or DM me on X @WGS328 to support this vision of empowerment and sustainability.” – Please like and share this post.
#InspirationalStory, #SelfReliance, #SustainableLiving, #FilmMaking
