HOLLADAY, Utah — A Utah man who has dealt with challenges since birth is flipping houses to change one life at a time.
Ben Kjar was born with Crouzon Syndrome, which means his appearance as a child was different.
"Kids were making fun of me, calling me 'flat face' calling me 'monster' and other things,” he reflected.
With the unwavering support from his parents, Kjar learned labels didn't have to define his life.
"What my mom and my dad didn't do is it didn't wrap me in bubble wrap ever," Kjar said. "They didn't put a mattress around me ever. They loved me. They poured into me and cuddled me, but they never ever coddled me."
As a Division 1 All-American wrestler in college, Kjar went on to become a professional speaker and later an entrepreneur renovating houses.
He's been busy, flipping nearly 200 properties in the last six years. Some of the homes are extra special and serve an additional purpose, benefiting Kjar's nonprofit, "Flip for a Face."
Money from sales of Kjar's homes is donated so children with Crouzon Syndrome can have reconstructive surgery just like he had.
“You can't change the world in every way. But you can change the world through that one individual for the rest of their life," Kjar explained.
Now with a family of his own, Kjar has turned his challenges into a mission of love and transformation.
"Life is beautiful," he said. "It's not always easy. But guess what? We were born with a gift and the moment they realize that this difference is actually a gift is the moment things change."
The process to select a child who will receive funds is a lengthy one, with Kjar's team looking at financial need and other factors to choose a deserving candidate.
