MORE than 30 years ago, Stephen Leon sat atop a hill preparing to commit suicide. But after a spiritual encounter saved his life, he would go on to success and the inspiration of others.

His inspirational book, Respond With Class! was launched at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain on January 27.

Leon is a group sales manager at Hyatt and a minister of the gospel. He worships at Revival Capital Prophetic Ministries, where his wife is the senior pastor. He is also co-founder of the group Men Mentoring Men.

His book, subtitled Rethinking the Way You Respond to Life's Daily Challenges, includes the blurb: "In a world where adversity is a constant companion, Respond with Class by Stephen Leon unveils the ultimate guide to transform your life through the power of your responses. Divided into seven profound sections, this book is a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and empowerment."

The seven sections are Know Your Identity, Know Your Purpose, Know Your Destiny, Live by Choice, Come to Change, Influence Change in People and Leave a Legacy.

[caption id="attachment_1064684" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Group sales manager at the Hyatt Regency and author Stephen Leon with Alicia Cabrera, marketing manager,Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) at the the launch of Respond with Class! - Photo courtesy Clyde Boxhill[/caption]

Leon explained the evening was about his mother, Phyllis Leon, who was in the audience.

"Everything is connected to her."

He recalled an experience at about 17 when he saw his mother at work. She was a maid in Westmoorings and he rode to see her on a used bicycle she had bought for him and he had fixed up. Through the windows of the house, he saw his mother on the floor scrubbing the tiles and he thought of the expression, "work like a dog."

He had an epiphany that his mother was working very hard to take care of him and he had to do something to make her proud.

Leon told the gathering he grew up in Cascade, but not on the "rich side." He lived on a hill which cars could not access.

His mother, who turned 92 the previous week and was in her "right mind," began working at 13. He explained that as a maid, her salary was very limited and many things he wanted as a teenager, like Travel Fox brand sneakers, he could not get.

"But she did her best to take care of me. Gave me something to eat, even if it was bread and butter and Kool-Aid."

[caption id="attachment_1064685" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Phyllis Leon, 92, mother of Hyatt group sales manager and author Stephen Leon, at the launch of Respond With Class! at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain on January 28. The book is dedicated to her. - Photo courtesy Clyde Boxhill[/caption]

His mother worked so hard that she lost a lot of weight.

While he was attending St James Secondary, his mother would give him $5 to go to school: $3 for transport, $1 for a pie and $1 for a juice. He walked home from St James to Cascade (a distance of about 5km) for five years.

He did sixth form at Trinity College, Moka, and recalled if the bus was n