Everything changed for the Noble brothers when – after they were victims of a drunk driving accident – Justin became paralyzed and Matt suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Becoming a paraplegic made Justin unable to attend law school while Matt’s cognitive abilities prevented him from joining any work force. Without any work or prospective career opportunities, the incident wreaked havoc on their mental health.
RELATED: Teen Girl Uses ‘Crazy Strength’ to Lift Burning Car Off Her Dad
“The first year was the hardest,” Matt told Good News Network. “I don’t remember much of that year and Justin was in rehab for about 8 months of that year. My first memory was confusion and hopelessness. Once we were able to work, we tried several things – together and separately, but we have found that the best solution is together.”
In order to unite his sons with a common mission, Justin and Matt’s father Wayne Noble created Carolina Farmstead; a boutique woodworking studio located on their family farm in rural eastern North Carolina. The business’s furniture is all made using recycled local materials and certified as environmentally-friendly.
Since the business was created, Justin started working as the Operations Manager while Matt took on the role of Lead Craftsman – both fitting roles for their disabilities.
MORE: College Student Recycled Hotel Soap to Save Thousands of Cambodians From Disease
“This company is a dream come true for our family,” added Matt. “My parents worry about getting older and not being able to provide for us. This company can give my parents peace of mind for our futures and the future of my son, Noah. This business is all about keeping a family together and being strong following a devastating setback.”
“We quickly realized that we would have to work as a team,” Justin told Good News Network. “The accident left us with strengths and weaknesses that complement each other. If you combine our strengths together it sort of makes us a whole person again. I depend on Matt to accomplish many physical tasks that I cannot perform and he depends on me to help him with things like planning and strategy.”
“We were completely devastated immediately following the accident. We both felt like there was nothing left to live for. What we learned was that while our lives are completely different we can still live full lives.”
The Noble brother’s work has since been nationally recognized on HGTV’s Love It or List It and in the PBS documentary and cooking series “A Chef’s Life”.
Click To Share This Inspiring Story With Your Friends (Photo by the Noble family)