I’m a little nervous I’ve never spoken like this before in front of positive
like this before in front of positive
like this before in front of positive people I used to speak to negative
people I used to speak to negative
people I used to speak to negative people about negative things but I never
people about negative things but I never
people about negative things but I never really gave positive advice over the
really gave positive advice over the
really gave positive advice over the last 26 years I buried myself in this
last 26 years I buried myself in this
last 26 years I buried myself in this coffin for some things I’ve done today I
coffin for some things I’ve done today I
coffin for some things I’ve done today I would like to share with you a part of
would like to share with you a part of
would like to share with you a part of me that has returned a part of me I’ve
me that has returned a part of me I’ve
me that has returned a part of me I’ve rediscovered how many people know a
rediscovered how many people know a
rediscovered how many people know a person who’s in the dark place but can’t
person who’s in the dark place but can’t
person who’s in the dark place but can’t seem to find that light I want to take
seem to find that light I want to take
seem to find that light I want to take you back to my childhood it was good
you back to my childhood it was good
you back to my childhood it was good growing up as a kid I had dreams I
growing up as a kid I had dreams I
growing up as a kid I had dreams I remember when I first started playing
remember when I first started playing
remember when I first started playing sports I was just nine years old
sports I was just nine years old
sports I was just nine years old I played tiny my football for the LA
I played tiny my football for the LA
I played tiny my football for the LA demos put in that uniform won for the
demos put in that uniform won for the
demos put in that uniform won for the first time helmet shoulder pads made me
first time helmet shoulder pads made me
first time helmet shoulder pads made me feel special I mean there wasn’t
feel special I mean there wasn’t
feel special I mean there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do on the field that
anything I couldn’t do on the field that
anything I couldn’t do on the field that year we went on to win a championship
year we went on to win a championship
year we went on to win a championship that year gave me the confidence to
that year gave me the confidence to
that year gave me the confidence to believe in myself we won the next four
believe in myself we won the next four
believe in myself we won the next four out of five championships but was funny
out of five championships but was funny
out of five championships but was funny about that all six coaches I had told me
about that all six coaches I had told me
about that all six coaches I had told me that I was a leader and that I was
that I was a leader and that I was
that I was a leader and that I was special at the time I didn’t know what
special at the time I didn’t know what
special at the time I didn’t know what they meant I thought they were just
they meant I thought they were just
they meant I thought they were just talking my first year of high school I
talking my first year of high school I
talking my first year of high school I wanted to make an impact my high school
wanted to make an impact my high school
wanted to make an impact my high school hasn’t made two playoffs in eight
hasn’t made two playoffs in eight
hasn’t made two playoffs in eight seasons I believe that I can get to
seasons I believe that I can get to
seasons I believe that I can get to school back on track we made it to the
school back on track we made it to the
school back on track we made it to the playoffs with a winning record the very
playoffs with a winning record the very
playoffs with a winning record the very next season the first game I remember
next season the first game I remember
next season the first game I remember this play as if it was yesterday
this play as if it was yesterday
this play as if it was yesterday we were playing Dorsey high school we
we were playing Dorsey high school we
we were playing Dorsey high school we were down by four points with about
were down by four points with about
were down by four points with about three minutes left during the game
three minutes left during the game
three minutes left during the game Dorsey was about to punt the ball from
Dorsey was about to punt the ball from
Dorsey was about to punt the ball from their 30-yard line I asked the coach to
their 30-yard line I asked the coach to
their 30-yard line I asked the coach to let me catch the punt
let me catch the punt
let me catch the punt I wasn’t a regular punt returner but I
I wasn’t a regular punt returner but I
I wasn’t a regular punt returner but I promised him that I would get it near
promised him that I would get it near
promised him that I would get it near the end zone or in the end zone my coach
the end zone or in the end zone my coach
the end zone or in the end zone my coach had faith in me I crossed that punt and
had faith in me I crossed that punt and
had faith in me I crossed that punt and I ran 70 yards for the touchdown one of
I ran 70 yards for the touchdown one of
I ran 70 yards for the touchdown one of the most amazing runs I have ever done
the most amazing runs I have ever done
the most amazing runs I have ever done in my life
in my life
in my life my teammates went crazy when I got home
my teammates went crazy when I got home
my teammates went crazy when I got home it felt as though my dreams and goals
it felt as though my dreams and goals
it felt as though my dreams and goals but within reach this is what I wanted
but within reach this is what I wanted
but within reach this is what I wanted to do play football I believed in my
to do play football I believed in my
to do play football I believed in my ability on the field that season coaches
ability on the field that season coaches
ability on the field that season coaches from different universities was scouting
from different universities was scouting
from different universities was scouting me but later that season I made some
me but later that season I made some
me but later that season I made some choices that changed my life and
choices that changed my life and
choices that changed my life and destroyed my dreams I was selling drugs
destroyed my dreams I was selling drugs
destroyed my dreams I was selling drugs on the side see in my world football man
on the side see in my world football man
on the side see in my world football man selling drugs
selling drugs
selling drugs I knew this drug dealer named Jimmy one
I knew this drug dealer named Jimmy one
I knew this drug dealer named Jimmy one day I went to his apartment complex I
day I went to his apartment complex I
day I went to his apartment complex I knocked on the door I even looked in the
knocked on the door I even looked in the
knocked on the door I even looked in the window no one was home so I broke in and
window no one was home so I broke in and
window no one was home so I broke in and I stole his stash the drugs and money I
I stole his stash the drugs and money I
I stole his stash the drugs and money I thought no one had seen me but I guess
thought no one had seen me but I guess
thought no one had seen me but I guess someone did because Jimmy asked me about
someone did because Jimmy asked me about
someone did because Jimmy asked me about his drugs several times over the next
his drugs several times over the next
his drugs several times over the next four or five months but I’ve always told
four or five months but I’ve always told
four or five months but I’ve always told him I don’t know what you’re talking
him I don’t know what you’re talking
him I don’t know what you’re talking about
about
about months later I’m in Minnesota and I get
months later I’m in Minnesota and I get
months later I’m in Minnesota and I get this phone call from my mother she’s
this phone call from my mother she’s
this phone call from my mother she’s crying and she’s saying they killed him
crying and she’s saying they killed him
crying and she’s saying they killed him they killed him
they killed him
they killed him I said who she says Sherman my life
I said who she says Sherman my life
I said who she says Sherman my life stopped I couldn’t move I was paralyzed
stopped I couldn’t move I was paralyzed
stopped I couldn’t move I was paralyzed for those 15 seconds I fell dead Sherman
for those 15 seconds I fell dead Sherman
for those 15 seconds I fell dead Sherman was my younger brother he meant the
was my younger brother he meant the
was my younger brother he meant the world to me he was my best friend and
world to me he was my best friend and
world to me he was my best friend and biggest fan
biggest fan
biggest fan I caught a flight back home I went to
I caught a flight back home I went to
I caught a flight back home I went to the hospital I saw my mother I hugged
the hospital I saw my mother I hugged
the hospital I saw my mother I hugged her until we left when I got home my
her until we left when I got home my
her until we left when I got home my cousin Johan told me who shot and killed
cousin Johan told me who shot and killed
cousin Johan told me who shot and killed Sherman it was Jimmy Jimmy disappeared
Sherman it was Jimmy Jimmy disappeared
Sherman it was Jimmy Jimmy disappeared because he killed my brother for the
because he killed my brother for the
because he killed my brother for the drugs and money I stole months later I
drugs and money I stole months later I
drugs and money I stole months later I heard he was back in town I went looking
heard he was back in town I went looking
heard he was back in town I went looking for him I saw him in front of his own
for him I saw him in front of his own
for him I saw him in front of his own house I went around the back I hopped
house I went around the back I hopped
house I went around the back I hopped this gate I was coming around the side
this gate I was coming around the side
this gate I was coming around the side of the building but as I was passing
of the building but as I was passing
of the building but as I was passing this window I saw this little girl she
this window I saw this little girl she
this window I saw this little girl she was about five or six years old for a
was about five or six years old for a
was about five or six years old for a moment we made eye contact but I kept
moment we made eye contact but I kept
moment we made eye contact but I kept going to the front in the moment I saw
going to the front in the moment I saw
going to the front in the moment I saw Jimmy
Jimmy
Jimmy I walked up on him and I shot and I
I walked up on him and I shot and I
I walked up on him and I shot and I killed him I came to prison what a dork
killed him I came to prison what a dork
killed him I came to prison what a dork heart I lost the ability to believe in
heart I lost the ability to believe in
heart I lost the ability to believe in myself so four years in prison
myself so four years in prison
myself so four years in prison I acted up I was impulsive and I didn’t
I acted up I was impulsive and I didn’t
I acted up I was impulsive and I didn’t care what happened to me I was an empty
care what happened to me I was an empty
care what happened to me I was an empty shell that was buried in a coffin a lie
shell that was buried in a coffin a lie
shell that was buried in a coffin a lie prison could be a dark place people want
prison could be a dark place people want
prison could be a dark place people want people to hurt because they heard I
people to hurt because they heard I
people to hurt because they heard I heard it inside my first 20 years in
heard it inside my first 20 years in
heard it inside my first 20 years in prison
prison
prison that was a mess I’m slowly trying to put
that was a mess I’m slowly trying to put
that was a mess I’m slowly trying to put the pieces of my life back in place at
the pieces of my life back in place at
the pieces of my life back in place at moments I still feel pain but my faith
moments I still feel pain but my faith
moments I still feel pain but my faith in God drives me every day and being
in God drives me every day and being
in God drives me every day and being able to dig deep beyond the surface to
able to dig deep beyond the surface to
able to dig deep beyond the surface to find this light of self forgiveness
find this light of self forgiveness
find this light of self forgiveness it’s the most rewarding feeling you can
it’s the most rewarding feeling you can
it’s the most rewarding feeling you can feel three years ago I woke up early one
feel three years ago I woke up early one
feel three years ago I woke up early one morning I cut my TV on this commercial a
morning I cut my TV on this commercial a
morning I cut my TV on this commercial a st. Jude Children’s Hospital commercial
st. Jude Children’s Hospital commercial
st. Jude Children’s Hospital commercial watching this little girl’s eyes
watching this little girl’s eyes
watching this little girl’s eyes reminded me of the little girl I saw
reminded me of the little girl I saw
reminded me of the little girl I saw that day in the window every time I saw
that day in the window every time I saw
that day in the window every time I saw that commercial my heart opened up those
that commercial my heart opened up those
that commercial my heart opened up those moments gave me the motivation to find
moments gave me the motivation to find
moments gave me the motivation to find self forgiveness in my life that little
self forgiveness in my life that little
self forgiveness in my life that little girl from st. Jews was my life switch
girl from st. Jews was my life switch
girl from st. Jews was my life switch she touched a place in my heart that I
she touched a place in my heart that I
she touched a place in my heart that I knew I had to get involved with there’s
knew I had to get involved with there’s
knew I had to get involved with there’s nothing more rewarding and satisfying
nothing more rewarding and satisfying
nothing more rewarding and satisfying than giving someone a hand being a
than giving someone a hand being a
than giving someone a hand being a partner with Saint Jews makes me feel
partner with Saint Jews makes me feel
partner with Saint Jews makes me feel special knowing that I am able to reach
special knowing that I am able to reach
special knowing that I am able to reach out and help others and possibly save
out and help others and possibly save
out and help others and possibly save lives
lives
lives my brother Sherman and my cousin Johann
my brother Sherman and my cousin Johann
my brother Sherman and my cousin Johann will be proud of me today
will be proud of me today
will be proud of me today for the person who I have become I’m
for the person who I have become I’m
for the person who I have become I’m reaching places inside of me that was
reaching places inside of me that was
reaching places inside of me that was unseen by the naked eye I now know our
unseen by the naked eye I now know our
unseen by the naked eye I now know our true journey in life as human beings has
true journey in life as human beings has
true journey in life as human beings has a deeper meaning and a deeper calling to
a deeper meaning and a deeper calling to
a deeper meaning and a deeper calling to feel passionate about something you
feel passionate about something you
feel passionate about something you believe in it first starts with self
believe in it first starts with self
believe in it first starts with self forgiveness and the ability to believe
forgiveness and the ability to believe
forgiveness and the ability to believe in yourself I’m able to stand here today
in yourself I’m able to stand here today
in yourself I’m able to stand here today because of all the people who believed
because of all the people who believed
because of all the people who believed in me to share my story I crawled out of
in me to share my story I crawled out of
in me to share my story I crawled out of that dark coffin because if a little
that dark coffin because if a little
that dark coffin because if a little girl can smile and have so much life in
girl can smile and have so much life in
girl can smile and have so much life in her eyes and be strong through dark
her eyes and be strong through dark
her eyes and be strong through dark times so can i my strength plus her
times so can i my strength plus her
times so can i my strength plus her strength equals self forgiveness for me
strength equals self forgiveness for me
strength equals self forgiveness for me we all can reach that journey in our
we all can reach that journey in our
we all can reach that journey in our lives if you know someone who lives
lives if you know someone who lives
lives if you know someone who lives within their own prison of pain shame
within their own prison of pain shame
within their own prison of pain shame you’ll show them me show them this TEDx
you’ll show them me show them this TEDx
you’ll show them me show them this TEDx let them see that I found my life switch
let them see that I found my life switch
let them see that I found my life switch and there’s a light switch in each and
and there’s a light switch in each and
and there’s a light switch in each and every one of us a great man once said
every one of us a great man once said
every one of us a great man once said death isn’t the greatest tragedy in life
death isn’t the greatest tragedy in life
death isn’t the greatest tragedy in life the greatest tragedy in life is what
the greatest tragedy in life is what
the greatest tragedy in life is what dies in us while we are still alive so I
dies in us while we are still alive so I
dies in us while we are still alive so I asked all of you to continue to show
asked all of you to continue to show
asked all of you to continue to show compassion and lend a hand and never
compassion and lend a hand and never
compassion and lend a hand and never look down on anyone unless you’re
look down on anyone unless you’re
look down on anyone unless you’re helping them up thank you
helping them up thank you
helping them up thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment