Mathew Becker — A Story of Starting Over in Ulysses, Kansas
I was born and raised in Ulysses, Kansas, a small town where everybody knows your name — and where your mistakes follow you even longer. My name is Mathew Becker, and for seven years, I disappeared from the world. I was sent to prison, and when those gates closed behind me, I thought my life was over.
But I promised myself one thing: When I got out, I would build something better than the life I left behind.
I’ve been home less than a month. No job. No savings. No safety net. Just a second chance — and I’m holding onto it with both hands.
I’m starting a company called Becker Surface Restoration, a mobile sandblasting and power‑washing business built from nothing but grit, determination, and a 20‑gallon air compressor I bought used. I’m working out of a 26×48 metal building that I’m slowly turning into a real shop. Every hose, every extension cord, every tool I buy feels like a step toward a future I never thought I’d have.
I’m not asking for charity. I’m asking for a chance.
A chance to build a business that serves my community. A chance to prove that a man’s past doesn’t define his future. A chance to show that even after seven years behind bars, you can come home and create something good.
I want Becker Surface Restoration to be more than a business. I want it to be a symbol — proof that people can rebuild their lives if someone believes in them.
Your support helps me:
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Finish my shop
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Buy the equipment I need to take real jobs
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Build a mobile setup so I can serve farms, shops, and homes across southwest Kansas
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Create a life where I stand on my own two feet
I’m not running from my past. I’m using it as fuel.
If you choose to donate, you’re not just helping me start a business — you’re helping me rewrite my story. You’re helping a hometown kid from Ulysses stand back up, build something honest, and give back to the place that raised him.
Thank you for believing in second chances. Thank you for believing in me.
— Mathew Becker Becker Surface Restoration Ulysses, Kansas
