18-year-old homeless boy gets the chance to prove himself, gains admission to US university

However, when LeGrand arrived at his father’s home, he discovered his father was living in a motel with his new wife.

“He had a choice to make. He was either going to get a house or be stuck in the rain with no food, no nothing, no car, no nothing, no choices,” he said. Despite the uncertainty, LeGrand remained hopeful that things would improve.

Eventually, his father secured a house, and LeGrand moved in with his three younger brothers, his oldest brother, his brother’s child, and the baby’s mother. However, their situation was far from stable. After moving several times, their father got into trouble and was sent to jail.

With their father in Jail, LeGrand’s older brother and his young family moved out, and their stepmother abandoned the remaining children. She left them without food, electricity, or basic necessities. Despite these hardships, LeGrand decided not to return to Florida with his younger brothers.

He realized he could not rely on his parents to make responsible decisions for their children and knew he had to find a way to survive on his own. However, he credits his father for helping him enroll at Holloway High School.

When his father first heard about the school, they walked there together to meet the principal. LeGrand enrolled, and although the 45-minute walk to school every day was difficult, he remained committed to his education.

He said the walk became more bearable thanks to the supportive environment at the school. He developed a strong connection with one of his teachers, Leslie Mertz, who taught early childhood education courses.

“I used to talk to her every day about everything. so she knew my story. She’s got a kid that’s younger than me, so she don’t know what to do with an 18-year-old — like with discipline, the requirements, and stuff I need,” he said.

Determined to graduate, LeGrand saw earning his diploma as a stepping stone to a better future. Rather than return home to Florida, he opted to live with the families of friends and the supportive and homelike environment at Holloway High School encouraged him to keep pushing forward.

“People always told me, once you do the right thing, people always try to do the right thing for you,” LeGrand said.

“I’m a survivor. I feel like I know right from wrong, what’s going to set me on the right path to do the right, to be the right person in life, to pursue my dream, to do something in the future that nobody else thought of doing,” he added.

LeGrand’s hard work paid off when he received an acceptance letter from the Tennessee College of Applied Technology. He plans to continue his studies and pursue a bachelor’s degree in Engineering.