Homeless teen named valedictorian: Never let anyone tell you that you cant do something (#video 4:22min) Through homelessness, the death of his mother and numerous other hardships endured on his way to becoming class valedictorian, Florida high school student Griffin Furlong always clung to one belief. Just never give up, Furlong, who has long had that motto written on the bill of his baseball cap, told TODAY. Never let anyone tell you that you cant do something, because Ive been told that all my life. People would tell me I wasnt smart enough, and now Im here at the top of my class. Furlong, 18, will give the speech to his fellow seniors on graduation day for First Coast High School in Jacksonville on June 4, after finishing with a 4.65 grade-point average. Family hardships have resulted in Furlong living in homeless shelters for varying stints since he was 7 years old, including staying in one for a period last month before he moved in with his girlfriends family, and then with his aunt and uncle. When he was six years old, his mother died from leukemia, and he said he also endured periods of his life where his family was starving and barely able to survive. I had to grow up really fast, he said. Ive seen things that kids wouldnt ever see in their lives. I would be starving at night, and Ive seen my dad physically abused in front of me. I dont take anything for granted any more. Read more ► today/news/homeless-teen-named-valedictorian-never-let-anyone-tell-you-you-2D79721667 Shared by Trista. ♥
Posted on: Fri, 30 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000
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