Rick Willis

The Carebridge Rick Willis

Death can be devastating for loved ones left behind. And when a child dies, it can be even more devastating. The demise of eight-year-old Kwame Kyler is indeed a case in point. But remarkably in his death is born a renewed hope for many. Given only six months to live at birth, Kwame astonishes all with his amazing continued improvement of his serious heart defect. His determination to avoid a looming death is only surpassed by his zestful approach to life. In August of 1980, he is medically cleared to finally fulfill his two year dream of joining his friends on their youth football team. Then tragically, at his first practice session, Kwame Kyler collapses and dies. This is the story of how his loving parents find the courage to cope with this tragedy, as they are aided by the unexpected and unlikely support from strangers in a community hundreds of miles away. These two racially diverse communities bond in a joint effort to remember and honor this heroic little boy. And in the end, Kwame Kyler's tragic death evolves triumphant as it provokes the rendering of life altering enlightenments through the crossing of cultural lines. "Rick, you've been chosen and assigned the mission to deliver this inspirational story."-The Rev. Geri Kyler-Kwame Kyler's mother