Grubbs moved around throughout his childhood, attending Mansfield City Schools.
"We were very poor," Grubbs said. "That helps me with who I am, I’ve lived a tough life in that way."
When he was a junior at Mansfield Senior High School, he signed up for a class called auto tech. After a week, he decided he did not want to continue on that track.
"My guidance councilor said something along the lines of 'you aren't smart enough to be in machine trades.'"
Grubbs left school and did not return for almost eight weeks. He went to Kentucky to live with his dad, who encouraged him to go back.