On November 18, 1978, in Flint, Michigan, 14-month-old Keith Edmonds’ life took a devastating turn. His mother’s boyfriend, furious at the toddler’s cries, pressed Keith’s face against an electric heater, leaving him with third-degree burns over half his face. Doctors didn’t expect him to survive the night — yet against all odds, Keith pulled through.
He spent a month in the hospital and endured years of grueling reconstructive surgeries at the Shriners Burn Institute in Cincinnati, fighting to rebuild a “normal” appearance. Trauma followed him, however, as he entered foster care while his mother was cleared and his abuser received a mere 10-year sentence.
Bullied and isolated, Keith turned to alcohol at age 13, masking his pain with decades of addiction. His twenties were marked by depression, substance abuse, and brushes with the law. But at 35, during a turning point on his birthday in 2012, Keith had a life-changing moment of clarity. He chose sobriety and committed to transforming his life.
Keith’s comeback was extraordinary. He excelled in corporate sales at Dell and Coca-Cola, tackling challenging inner-city routes and earning top performance awards. But his mission went beyond personal success.
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