What This Book Is About
The Man That I Would Become is a raw and honest memoir about growing up without a present father, learning grit from a relentless mother, and building a life through sweat, sacrifice, and faith.
From football fields to nuclear power plants…
From executive leadership to broken relationships…
From betrayal and failure to redemption and spiritual renewal…
This is not a polished success story.
It’s a blueprint forged in fire.
Set against the backdrop of Texas ranch life, this book captures the lessons that shaped a husband, father, leader, and man of faith — written so his children and grandchildren will always know his heart.
“A man is not defined by what he inherits — but by what he builds.”
My Story
Growing up without a present father, I learned early that life doesn’t hand you direction — it expects you to find it.
My mother became my anchor and my example. She worked long hours, carried more weight than anyone should have to, and taught me that responsibility isn’t optional. It’s earned daily.
There were seasons I got it right — and seasons I failed hard. Broken relationships. Business setbacks. Moments when pride cost more than it gave.
But over time, I began to understand something:
This is not a story about perfection.
It’s about becoming.
Strength without humility is hollow.
Success without faith is fragile.
And a man is shaped more by what he endures than what he achieves.
Meet the Author
Victor Bretting is a construction executive, entrepreneur, and founder of Bretting Texan Ranch.
Raised by a hardworking single mother, he learned early that discipline and responsibility are not optional — they are built daily.
Over a decades-long career in the construction and nuclear power industries, he rose from entry-level labor to executive leadership. Along the way, he faced failure, betrayal, broken relationships, and seasons of doubt that tested both his resolve and his faith.
Today, Victor is first and foremost a husband, father, and grandfather. His greatest achievement is not a title or a trophy — but the legacy he is building for the generations that follow.
Why I Wrote "The Man I Would Become"
I didn’t write this book to impress anyone.
I wrote it because one day, my grandchildren may wonder who I really was.
They’ll see the ranch.
They’ll hear the stories.
They may know the victories.
But I want them to know the full picture.
The doubts.
The mistakes.
The prayers whispered when no one else was listening.
I want them to understand that faith isn’t something you inherit — it’s something you choose, especially when life tests you.
And if this story reaches beyond my family, I hope it speaks to anyone who has ever questioned whether their failures disqualify them.
They don’t.
We are not defined by where we start.
We are shaped by what we endure.
And we become the man — or woman — we choose to grow into.
This book is my way of leaving something honest behind.
Not just for my family.
But for anyone still becoming.
JOIN THE JOURNEY
This story began long before it was written — and it’s still unfolding.
If something here resonated with you, I’d be honored to keep you updated as the book prepares to release.
Leave your email below, and I’ll personally share when it becomes available — along with a few reflections along the way.
No noise. No pressure. Just the journey ahead
"What we build with our hands may fade.
What we build in our family endures.
That is the legacy that matters most."
- Victor Bretting