Mark Watson — a remarkably young and talented entrepreneur — is widely admired for his vision, integrity, passion, and generosity. From obscure beginnings to achieving remarkable success , his journey has left many in awe. That’s what people say about me. But what they don’t know is the full story — the part only I have lived, is a story only I truly know.
I’ve always been a bit mischievous since childhood — As the only son, my parents never expected state ranks or medals from me. All they ever wanted was to see me in a stable job with a decent salary. But I’ve always been wired differently — my dreams didn’t quite align with theirs.
Back when I was younger, I started a YouTube channel just for fun. One day, I got a call from someone claiming my channel had gained a lot of subscribers and was now eligible for monetization. They told me I could start earning, but I needed to send $300 to activate the payment process.
Excited and hopeful, I did exactly as they said. I thought, finally, I could do something meaningful — maybe even support my parents in a small way. But just two days later, reality hit hard. I found out it was a scam — a typical call center fraud. That entire $300… gone. Just like that.That moment flipped my world upside down. It was the first time I truly tasted failure.Then i decided to completely concentrate on my studies.
Just before I was about to start college, I went on a long bike ride with my best friend — Archen. If I had to name the best thing that ever happened in my life, without a doubt, it would be him. He’s been there with me through everything — childhood laughs, highs, lows, and heartbreaks. The kind of friend you don't make twice in life.
During that ride, An old man suddenly stepped into the road. Instinctively, I swerved the motorcycle to avoid him, lost control, and crashed. I hit a stone hard. My head took the impact.I was rushed to the hospital, unconscious for an entire day. I ended up with five stitches on my forehead — just two centimeters away from my eye. The doctors said I was lucky. Any closer, and I could’ve lost my vision.Archen, escaped with just a few scratches. But he was terrified. Seeing me in the ICU shook him. When I finally regained consciousness , the first thing I saw was his face — full of fear and relief. I reassured him softly, "I’m okay, don’t worry."Then I picked up my phone — 7 missed calls from Dad and 12 from Mom. I didn’t want to worry them further. So I called my mom and told her, “I’m at my friend’s sister’s wedding. I’ll be back in two days.” She sounded anxious and said, “Please tell me beforehand next time. Don’t scare me like this.” I promised her I would, reminded her to take her medicine on time, said goodbye, and hung up.
Just as I was getting ready to be discharged from the hospital, I noticed a group of people approaching — two police officers among them. They came straight to me and said I had wrongly hit an elderly man who was crossing the road.
But honestly, that wasn’t the case.
The old man had stumbled for a moment, likely out of panic, but my bike never actually touched him. Still, in situations like these, it’s always the person with the vehicle who’s blamed. I tried to explain, to defend myself — but it was pointless.They took down my information, seized my bike, and told me I’d have to compensate the old man for his "damages" in order to get the bike back.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpHZnzpo31
All I wanted was one memorable ride before starting college,but things turn out like this.
When I finally returned home, my mom was shocked the moment she saw me. The bruises, the stitches — she couldn't hold back her tears. And honestly, it wasn’t the physical pain that hit me the hardest. It was the pain in their eyes — that’s what truly broke me. Nothing compares to the guilt of seeing your loved ones suffer because of you.I sat down and explained everything — the accident, the old man, the police, the case. After listening quietly, my parents decided to compensate the man just to put an end to it all.But the part that hurt the most? They never blamed me. Not even once. Even with all the mistakes I’d made, they kept saying, “It’s not your fault.” Even when deep down, I knew some of it was.
Because of all that accident mess, I ended up missing an entire semester of college. When I finally got back, I had to make up for everything — writing two exams a day. Mornings were for first-semester subjects, afternoons for the second. Honestly, I didn’t even know what subjects I was writing half the time. I was too exhausted to think, let alone eat. And despite all the effort... I failed every single subject in both semesters.
When I returned home after the exams, completely drained, life hit me even harder.
My mom suddenly collapsed in front of me. She said her body felt numb. I panicked. She’s always been weak — my grandmother had taken abortion medication during her pregnancy, which affected her health since birth — but this was something else.We rushed her to the hospital. The doctors ran multiple tests, and then came the diagnosis: Myositis — a condition where her muscles would slowly weaken over time. And worse — it’s irreversible.
I couldn't make sense of it. Why? Why her? Why not me? Why does life always strike the kindest souls? I walked into the corridor with a heavy heart, holding back the storm inside me. And just then, she looked at me with a faint smile and said, “I’m fine now. Let’s go home.”
I couldn’t hold back anymore. I rushed to a corner and cried my heart out.Later, the doctor prescribed medications that could only manage some symptoms — but there was no cure. Watching her in that condition, I made a quiet vow to myself: If I can’t fix her illness, I’ll do whatever I can to make her happy.
And for her, happiness meant only one thing — my success. My grades.
So, I started lying.
I told her I’d passed all my exams. I told her I was going to college every day. I knew I was deceiving her… but I didn’t care. Seeing her smile — that was all I wanted. She said, “It’s all God’s grace.”
But hearing that? It made my blood boil.
No. There is no grace.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVMO8YPnVG
No God.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vYZV8bH0c
It’s all a lie.
I hate him.
Then came the day I hit my lowest.
I was scared. I felt like my life had no meaning. Why am I even alive? Who am I living for? I kept asking myself over and over. I felt like a complete failure — like I had ruined everything. I’m a burden, I thought. A disaster. An asshole.
And then I saw my father.
Without a word, I hugged him and cried — the kind of cry that comes from deep, aching pain. He held me, and just like he always had, he said softly:
"It's not your fault."
The same words again. But this time I couldn't stay silent.
"No, it is. It's completely me. All of this is my fault."
He looked at me for a second, then lifted his eyes and said something I’ll never forget:
"You’re all I have."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQzrnakCeY
Right there, something inside me shifted. If I couldn’t find a reason to live for myself, I’d live for him. I’d give him at least one reason to be proud of me.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWthwWB8WM
I studied harder than I ever had in my life. I barely slept, maybe two hours a day.
Eventually, I cleared all my subjects.
I even secured a job.
I saved every bit of the money I earned from my job and poured it into starting my own business. It was a risk — everyone knew it, including me. But I believed in something bigger than fear.
I landed my first project. Completed it successfully. But then came the billing issues.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnavtWBmkuC
I lost the entire payment.
Yes — my first project, and I walked away with nothing.
Deep down, I had expected something to go wrong. It’s just how life had trained me. And of course, people laughed. They mocked me for even trying to start a business.
If it were the old me, I might have given up right then. But this version of me was different...I kept going.
For the next two years, I buried myself in work — researching, building, and pushing the limits of AI technology. I barely ate, often surviving on a single meal a day — usually just a cup of noodles. But after everything I had already been through, this didn’t feel like hardship. It felt like purpose.
And finally, after two relentless years, I delivered a breakthrough.
Today, my company stands as a flagship in cutting-edge AI innovation — recognized, respected, and leading.
And here I am.
The same boy who once fell for a silly call center scam.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNaMU2sdms
The boy who failed two entire semesters.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrLfB0gVix
The coward who once stood at the edge of giving up.
But people only ever see one side of the coin.
They see the success, the spotlight, the achievements — and they talk.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzByEBPoz6E
What they don’t see are the sacrifices, the sleepless nights, the silent battles, and the regrets I carry.
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIO2PTylfE
Well, the success… the business… that part was made up.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ftaOLjrc5
But everything else — the pain, the breakdowns, the failures, the hospital nights, the hunger, the lies I told just to protect the people I love — that was all real.
Every emotion, every regret, every tear31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYlno8dkoC
I gave him success in the story because I want him to succeed in reality.
And maybe one day, he will .31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRoipWGSUQ
