Caleb Okechukwu

Growing up in Washington DC was a very unique place, it was a very gritty area that gave me different tools that have become a part of me that I use in my every day life to communicate with other people. Some might say that it gave me an edge that is seen in my personality And how I deal with different situations. Growing up in a family of eight in a Nigerian household was very
different for me as a child because my culture was different from a lot of people. I was raising values that have carried me throughout my whole life. When I was 13 I faced a tragedy by losing my mother to breast cancer. To be totally honest losing my mother at such a young age changed something in my spirit forever, her love and faith in God and how she lived her life is something that has shaped me in my every day life and after losing her is my faith in God something that I try to carry on because That is what she gave me before she left.

I currently play football for Syracuse University, I also recently just graduated with a degree in communications in May, I look at the things that I’ve been through up until this point of my life as nothing short but a blessing because despite what I’ve been through I have developed a never give up spirit that will carry me for the rest of my life and that pushes me to keep going no matter what is thrown my way. The things that my family and I have been through have given me a deeper why, I’ve realized that I wouldn’t be playing this game or taking it as serious as i do if my mother had passed away. Overtime I realize that everything I do is to continually make her proud because I know she is watching.

I have never really been one to be able to pinpoint what exactly I will be doing in the future but I do believe that I will be doing something great and I ultimately believe that whatever God has planned over my life is what I will be doing because that is what has carried me up into this point and that is something that I will keep close to me and it gives me peace knowing that I can just live my every day life not worrying so much about what the future holds but building myself up to always be ready for my next step.