All it takes is one major decision to change the course of our lives. Sometimes, the best and most unexpected way to accomplish something is to take a leap of faith, which can be extremely rewarding in the end.

One woman named Shannon Ihrke decided to take control of her destiny in order to survive hard times. As a full-time college student, her expenses and debt situation were quickly piling up. She knew that the only way to get out of this sticky situation was to try something new – like join the Marines. But fate had other plans when Shannon made another surprising career change!

Small-Town Girl

Before she joined the Marines, Shannon grew up in the humble town of Walker, Minnesota. Most of her childhood was spent around nature, which made her quite an active child who loved going hunting, horseback riding, and even fishing. It’s safe to say Shannon made beautiful memories as a kid.

But unlike other girls her age, Shannon would run around outside and explore the woods than stay indoors playing with dolls. In the end, her preference worked in her favor as Shannon’s career path took her to the Marines. Of course, the Ihkre family also wondered why she was different like this.