A Path of Purpose, Brina’s Story

SHERMAN, Texas (KXII) - News 12 is working with the Grayson Crisis Center to prevent violence by changing the way our community values women.

We’re highlighting one woman a month who redefines success, by achieving HER goals in HER way.

This month, a mom who turned her son’s developmental disability into a beacon of hope for other families walking the same path, all the while showing her children the power of living her purpose.

Here’s HER Story.

Brina Dutton wears a lot of hats and always has.

“I feel like everything that I’ve done up until this point for my career has prepared me for where I am right now,” she said.

But she says her most important role has always been ‘mom’.

That’s why it could have been earth shattering when her youngest son was diagnosed with autism.

She admits it felt hopeless at times.

“I wanted parents to not feel the way I felt when we got that diagnosis,” said Brina.

But instead of letting a fear of the future break her family, she faced it.

And more than that, she created a foundation to help families like hers do the same.

“That’s when I knew that this is what I was supposed to be doing,” she said. “This is my purpose.”

So The Owen Foundation was born.

“I always knew that whatever I did in life, I wanted to be around people and I wanted to help people,” said Brina.

She says her newest role as executive director of TOF has given her a dose of humility and taught her to look at the big picture.

“Doing everything that we do with the foundation and then also having a child on the spectrum, it’s not easy, you know,” she said.

She credits her community and her faith for her drive to keep learning and helping others.

Brina says anyone who finds their purpose in life -- and lives it -- should count themselves successful.

“If you can make a change for the positive in your community, that’s success to me,” said Brina.

She says the direction her life has taken is one she could have never seen coming and says her confidence in who she is and what she believes in paved the way.

“I became really passionate about that. I prayed about it,” she said. “I feel like I’m living my purpose, doing what I do and I love that.”

To nominate someone you think has redefined success, or to learn more about this program and how it aims to prevent violence in our community, find the Grayson Crisis Center’s HER Story page here.

The Owen Foundation has a few events coming up, like their Sensory Friendly Night at HeyDay and their youth basketball camp. You can follow them on Facebook to learn more.

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