By Juviar Fewell, Edited by Samuel Knox
I’m a Springfield, Missouri native, and I’ve lived here pretty much my whole life. I went to Kickapoo High School.Growing up, I never really felt like I fit into the typical mold when it came to football, basketball, and things like that. Instead, I gravitated toward boxing and karate. My dad’s side of the family did a lot of karate, and my mom’s side was into boxing, so it always felt natural.My grandfather was a boxer — I’d love to shout him out, of course — and my father was always into the martial arts side of things. That’s actually how I met Ronie Lewis of Roni’s Lexis Boxing Gym; he and my dad were best friends, and that connection is how this whole journey grew.Lord knows I wouldn’t have made it without these guys.
Becoming a Teen ParentI think back to when I was a senior in high school and Zyra was about to be born. At one point, I really thought my life was over just because I was going to be a dad. But in reality, it was just the beginning. It wasn’t the end of anything — if anything, it was a second chance at everything.I want to encourage young people who might be in that same place: don’t let life knock you down. Keep your faith. I think faith is the most important thing in our lives. It keeps us grounded, keeps us family-oriented, keeps us tough, and keeps us armed for the battles ahead.
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