Never Give Up: The Kenneth Walker, III Story

Never Give Up is the story of a child who discovers his purpose in life, receives direction from his parents and then goes after his goal with persistence and tenacity until he achieves his mission. Kenny Walker, III grew up in a typical urban neighborhood located in Richmond, California, where his environment made it difficult to stay on the right path. All around him were people struggling to make ends meet, and some were drawn into committing crimes that occurred on his very street. Kenny received constant peer pressure to do the wrong thing, and he got caught up until his parents feared for his wellbeing and future. Kenny’s mother sent him to live with his father who introduced him to sports and demanded that he focus on his studies. His father took a “hands-on-approach” and constantly worked with Kenny until his destructive mindset changed and Kenny had something productive to fill his time with track and football. Kenny loved it so much that he made it his mission to make it to the NFL and become a professional football player. The only problem with becoming a professional football player was that the odds were against him. Life situations exposed many problems and obstacles that constantly challenged Kenny’s faith in achieving his goal. Setback after setback caused him to question whether he would realize his dream. His father constantly reminded him to “Never Give Up” because only quitters lose in the end. This story ends triumphantly because of faith, hard work and the natural and acquired skills that set him apart. This book is written for children to learn what it takes to become successful at anything they want to do in life, despite guaranteed obstacles. Grades (1 - 5)