The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

US Ambassador Herschel Walker made his first official outreach appearance yesterday, addressing students from LW Young Junior High School at a Christmas party hosted by the Boys and Girls Empowerment Club at the Fox Hill Community Centre.

Mr Walker, a former professional athlete, spoke to students about overcoming adversity, drawing on his upbringing in one of Georgia’s poorest counties and his struggles with a speech impediment to emphasise self-belief and perseverance.

“I used to have a speech impediment, but I couldn’t put a sentence together,” he said. “I used to stutter so bad, so all the kids used to make fun of it. I used to get beat up every day because the grace of God, I started working out. I started doing these push ups and sit ups and all that. Because we didn't have weights.

“We couldn't afford weights, so I started doing all these push-ups and sit-ups and my life changed, but it didn't change because I wanted to play football. I played professional football for about 14 years. I was on an Olympic team. I was one of fastest guys in the world.

“I've done a lot of things, but that's not the reason my life changed. My life changed because I quit feeling bad about myself. So the reason I tell you that you gotta feel good about who you are, because God have made you special.”

Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell thanked Ambassador Walker for attending the event and said the empowerment club was designed to build confidence, self-esteem and a sense of responsibility among young people.

He said the theme of the morning was kindness and pointed to an incident involving an injured dog that followed some students to the community centre. The animal appeared to have a broken leg, and attendees contacted the Humane Society and secured the dog in the pool area to prevent it from escaping while awaiting assistance.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that people who are weaker than us or animals who depend on us that we take care of them,” he said. “So hopefully, within a few minutes, BAARK and the Humane Society will be here to help with this animal that's been wounded. I want you to remember that act of kindness toward that animal who cannot take care of himself.”