Six months ago, I met Semaj and his siblings, who were receiving support from A Kid’s Place. Side note: all three siblings are deaf. Why did they reach out to me? Well, my aunt has been teaching the deaf her entire life, so I had someone who could help me communicate with them.

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Semaj was in his senior year of high school when the incident happened that brought him and his siblings to AKP. Thankfully, a dedicated case manager from the State of Florida was able to get him enrolled at The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in Jacksonville, where he could continue his education and thrive.

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Now here’s where the fun begins. Semaj had a dream, he wanted to play football. The school had a team, but due to the challenges his family faced, his academic eligibility was in question. The school petitioned the Sunshine State Athletic Commission, and after hearing his hardship, the committee granted him another year of eligibility. That chance to be part of the football team meant the world to him. It boosted his self-esteem and motivated him in his studies.

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Over the summer, Semaj and I worked hard on his football skills to prepare for the season. And then, in his very first week of practice, while playing running back, he got tackled hard and injured his wrist. Thank God it wasn’t broken, and he only missed a week.

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This could sound like any parent’s story of their child navigating school, sports, and setbacks. The difference here is that Semaj’s parents weren’t available to help guide him, so it took a village of people, each bringing their own resources and skills, to ensure he didn’t fall through the cracks.

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School has just begun, and I can only imagine the great things still ahead for Semaj. His story perfectly captures the Help2Others tagline: “Because it will always take a village.” From tragedy to triumph, watching this young man’s confidence grow has been nothing short of a blessing.