On February 16, 1997, I was born with Intestinal Artesia. This is a malformation in which there is a narrowing or absence of a portion of the intestine. I was rushed to Children’s Hospital for immediate surgery. As the years went by, my parents split up and I lived with my mother. We never stayed in the same house for too long which caused me to attend seven different elementary schools. In my 5th grade year at Columbus Elementary School the police came to pick me up from school to get my mother’s attention. She was ordered to make sure I attended school regularly, which never happened. I was removed from my mother’s custody and placed with my father. This is when I realized maybe things weren’t going right with her.
Three of my best friends growing up lived in front of one of the Boys & Girls Clubs. They are the ones who introduced me to the Club family. At this point I was private about my life and the things that I was going through and Mr. Deinnis Bedford still helped me. Through attending the Club I realized how everyone was into basketball, but back then my family didn’t really play basketball. One day a girl named Tiara Shirley approached me and asked if I wanted to play basketball for the CYC Comets. Ever since that day basketball has become my passion and has helped me stay clear of trouble. The Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha has opened my eyes to the endless opportunities that I never imagined. All the way from basketball to academics, to showing me the “Faith” that is inside of me.
