A Life Interrupted by a Robber's Bullet

Kevin Smith is a very bright young man with a beautiful baby daughter whose life was almost snuffed out by a robber's bullet. Goodwill of Greater Washington helped him rebuild his life.

Kevin was born on Belmont Street, NW in the District of Columbia . Even though he was raised for most of his childhood in a broken home by a mother who was a habitual drug user, Kevin had a grandmother who loved him and always looked out for him. She made sure Kevin enjoyed growing up. He loved to cook, sing, watch movies, play sports and go to church. He was a good student and eventually graduated from Shaw University in Charlotte , NC with a degree in mass communications. Kevin has a warm personality and his friends and family describe him as a “great guy”!

Kevin's life was on the right track. Then one tragic day in 1999 Kevin came home from North Carolina to celebrate his daughter's birthday. While preparing to return to Charlotte the next morning, Kevin was shot in the head, robbed and left for dead in his own front yard.

He was taken to Howard University Hospital where he was admitted for the next three months, before being transferred to the National Rehabilitation Hospital for over 30 days of inpatient treatment. The bullet that almost ended Kevin's life is still lodged in his brain. He has limited use of his right side and finds verbal communication very difficult.

The police have yet to locate Kevin's attacker and his case is still under investigation.

With the simple squeeze of a trigger, Kevin's future appeared to come to screeching halt. Kevin can no longer do many of the things he once enjoyed so much. His grandmother helps him with things like washing his clothes, shopping for furniture and cooking. She says Kevin can often be found crying because he wants so badly to do normal things that others do. However, Kevin is determined not to let this tragic event deter him from succeeding in life.

Your support for Goodwill of Greater Washington can help people like Kevin fulfill their dreams of independence and self sufficiency.

By making a cash gift to Goodwill of Greater Washington, your donation will have an immediate and lasting impact on the lives of people like Kevin; people who just want someone to give them an opportunity to prove they have something to offer.

• A $25 gift will pay for a student's transportation costs to and from Goodwill's job training centers
• A $100 gift will pay for a student's books and materials
• A $500 gift will help Goodwill pay for the recruitment materials necessary to reach and inform more people like Kevin about Goodwill's education and career training programs.

Kevin had been unemployed since the accident until he learned about Goodwill's training program that help the people with disadvantages and disabilities. He wanted to give something back to the community and family that supported him, so Kevin decided that he was going to work and that he should see what Goodwill had to offer. After completing Goodwill's Environmental Services Training Program Kevin became employed at the Armed Forces Retirement Home as warewasher. He enjoys his job and really likes the people he works with. However, everyone knows this is just the beginning for Kevin. His hard work and determination will take him far. Nothing will stop kevin from achieving his goals.

Kevin has even decided that he wants to try and drive again, and has even gone to the Department of Motor Vehicles to apply for his driving permit.

His grandmother says “Kevin intends to work and make enough money to buy himself and me a home with nice things to put in it, because he loves nice things.” She credits Goodwill with giving him hope. “Goodwill is a blessing and I thank God Kevin found them.”

Even under the worst of circumstances Kevin continues to smile. He is currently practicing to speak sentences without stuttering. His grandmother says he can still sing without stuttering, which makes them both happy! And Goodwill continues to work with Kevin to make him even more employable so that he can continue to grow and further his career.

None of us doubts that he'll make it.

Thank you for supporting Goodwill in the past and for giving us the resources we need to help people like Kevin. With your continued assistance, we can give hope to more people who once thought it unimaginable.

Please consider making a generous cash gift to Goodwill of Greater Washington today. You will be making an investment in someone's future that will last them a lifetime.