Keyonte was born and raised in northeast Ohio. He grew up in a stable family and had a great life. “I had my own house, paid my bills and everything was good. I had everything I ever asked for,” Keonte said. But by the age of 19 his addiction began. He started using crack cocaine which took him on a long journey.
“I didn’t do drugs for trauma or anything like that. It was just because I wanted to have fun! That turned into stealing cars and selling out of cars by the age of 21; along with getting seven charges for credit card theft and misuse.” Keonte began a really long five years of wandering in the wilderness in a complete state of darkness, he recalls. He went in and out of secular rehabs five times – jail five times.
“It was a really rough spot for me. My whole family had expectations of me to do good in sports and other things. I was a good kid not raised up to do drugs. My parents raised me very well. But I just down bad.”
“After my fifth arrest I had an experience with God that no one can ever take away from me.” That’s when he decided to come to ATCOV and complete the program.
When he arrived, his life started to look different. He began talking to his family again and that pushed him to want to do better; it was his motivation. “My perspective on myself has changed. I learned about my self worth. I know who I am now and where I want to go.”
His relationship with God and his new perspective on life has made Keonte’s future bright! He plans on pursuing his passion by attending culinary school this summer and may even try out for the NBA G-League!
