Jason WOOLFORD, 51, a City of Howell, resident, U.S. Marine and newly announced Republican House candidate, said his family’s “war scars” have given them a unique opportunity to love, live and learn to continue fighting.

He’s hoping to bring that same mentality to the state House in succeeding Rep. Robert BEZOTTE (R-Howell) in the 50th House District. Bezotte is not seeking a third term this November and has endorsed Woolford.“

As I told my son, he has scars on his chest and his head and I said, ‘These are war scars,’” Woolford said. “We’ve been given an opportunity that most don’t have, and that is to learn how to love and live like most don’t know how to, because of the difficulties that we have been through.”

Woolford, who announced his campaign today, shared with MIRS how his Marine Corps family faced a different sort of challenge entirely when his daughter, Jenna, was diagnosed with lupus, followed two months later by the discovery of an inoperable cancerous tumor in his son’s brain.

The Woolfords were also told to abort the pregnancy of their youngest child at seven months because of expected birth defects.“

When our son was seven years old, he was diagnosed with a cancerous and inoperable brain tumor that was twice the size of a golf ball,” Woolford said, “and as you can imagine, your life, everything stops when that happens.”

Woolford said doctors removed the top of his son’s head and drilled two holes through the memory and mobility parts of his brain, warning the family that the tumor was inoperable and the prognosis was likely fatal.“

They said that if he lives, that he’ll have memory and mobility problems forever,” Woolford said, sharing how the family trusted God and just kept praying.“

Two months later, the tumor literally vanished out of the middle of his brain,” he said, “and not only did the tumor vanish, he’s 28 years old and is perfectly healthy . . . with no memory and mobility problems.”

Woolford said their oldest daughter was healed of lupus, and their youngest daughter was born healthy, also going on to earn the title of U.S. Marine.

“It’s definitely a modern-day move of God,” he said.

Woolford said he learned that “no matter what war, no matter what difficulty that you’ve been through, when you get through it, you’re that much stronger for it on the other side,” lessons that taught his family both personal and professional tenacity.

Professionally, Woolford is a U.S. Marine who was honorably discharged and went on to become vice president of sales and marketing for two different southern California marble and granite distribution companies, before returning to Michigan and receiving his master’s degree in divinity.

In 2010, Woolford was appointed president of Mission Cry / Christian Resources International, a non-profit founded in 1956 that has sent over $400 million in bibles and Christian teaching tools to over 178 nations globally.

His global travel opportunities, holding leadership seminars and appearing on television programs has shaped him as an author and mentor, Woolford said, while his Marine corps, corporate and non-profit experiences have given him the ability and experience to represent Michiganders.

Woolford said he understands the meaning of the Marine Corps’ motto, Semper Fidelis, or “always faithful,” and will use the same strategy in the state House.

“It’s definitely helped shape our lives with discipline, attention to detail and a love for others,” he said. “Our family has been willing to serve in multiple capacities.”

His campaign priorities include repairing the economy, promoting a limited government and standing for children and their parents.

“I’ve said time and time again that the government is not the parent to our children, the government’s not our physician and the government’s not our God,” he said. “And I think that really sums up where we’re at, where people just feel that there’s just too much control and too much oversight into our freedoms and our individualities as Americans.”

Personally, Woolford has been married to his wife, Maria, also a U.S. Marine and Army National Guard veteran, for 30 years. The couple have three children, their youngest daughter is also a United States Marine and in total Woolford has five grandchildren.