‘Events forced me to act boldly, to act fearlessly, to take a chance and assess what really matters.’ – Stan Fellows, a former acclaimed magazine illustrator who now paints landscapes along roadsides. Gary Fandel/Special to the Christian Science Monitor
A Stan Fellows painting in progress. Gary Fandel/Special to the Christian Science Monitor
'Having a mentor is unequivocally the one thing that all successful people I know have in common.’ – Ryan Blair, who went from gang member to millionaire. Tameka Jacobs Carnes/Courtesy of Visalus
‘I didn’t know that kindergarten teaching was for me. It gives me a sense of purpose.’ – Rich Anderson, who went from working at a Ford plant to teaching art to young kids. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff
“This is my renaissance, and I’m with these kids,” says Anderson. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff
‘In Times Square today, I saw a cop on a horse on a cellphone. There is something unsettling about seeing a horse on a cellphone.’ – Shaun Eli, a Wall Street banker-turned-comedian, delivers this line during stand-up routines. Ann Hermes/Staff
‘I knew I had other skills I could use if I could just get to prove it.’ – Beverly Belzer, who was laid off from a factory job and who has since gone back to school to become a medical assistant, a field her daughters, Dana Wiebold (l.) and Brandi Collingwood (r.), work in. Gary Fandel/Special to the Christian Science Monitor
‘I wish I had done this at age 22.’ Being involved professionally with football ‘makes me much happier now.’ – Brad Berkowitz, a former Wall Street analyst who is now working as a sports agent. Ann Hermes/Staff
Mark Phillips, 28, of West Des Moines, Iowa, graduated college in 2005 with a degree in sports administration and landed a job with a local minor league hockey team. After losing that job as well as another one, he decided to go back to school. Phillips graduated from the Telecommunications Technology program and is now working with Inteconnex, installing security systems and access devices. Gary Fandel/Special to the Christian Science Monitor
How many professionals are creating second careers in an unforgiving economy? Meet six who did it successfully.
Contributing to this report were correspondents Margaret Price in New York; Steve Dinnen in Des Moines, Iowa; and Todd Wilkinson in Bozeman, Mont.
/Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2013/Photos-of-the-day-06-19
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Travels-with-President-Obama
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Lap-of-luxury-It-s-a-dog-s-life
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Give-them-shelter-refugees-far-from-home
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Pakistan-s-remote-Federally-Administered-Tribal-Areas
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/CATITUDE!-The-amazing-world-of-cats
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Facebook-fans-caption-Monitor-photos
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Africa-s-Hot-Spots
/Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2013/Photos-of-the-day-06-18
/Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2013/Photos-of-the-day-06-17
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Nelson-Mandela-His-life-and-legacy
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Turkey-s-discontent