Students at Becker received a powerful message Wednesday when highly sought-after speaker Reggie Dabbs visited the school to talk to them about choices and never giving up.

 

Born to an unwed mother and raised by foster parents who later adopted him, Dabbs spent most of his early life wishing he was dead. Giving credit to his parents for saving his life, Dabbs began his public speaking career after graduating from college, and today speaks to 1.5 million school kids across the world each year with a unique style of humor and inspiration.

 

After speaking at the middle school earlier in the day, Dabbs began connecting with the high-schoolers immediately when he told them his job was to keep them out of class, and, as a side note, to talk to them about the meaning of life.

 

Used to the usual spiels about the pressures and choices in life, Dabbs took the students completely by surprise, as he spoke to them in ways they weren’t expecting and weren’t used to. During most of the assembly students were either laughing or singing enthusiastically to popular songs, as Dabbs is not only a public speaker but an accomplished saxophone player. 

 

During one song, he had students turning on their cellphone flashlights, raising them over their heads and waving them back and forth in tribute. Dabbs even gave one of the teachers the nickname “Mr. White Chocolate” after he showed off his rhythm during another song.

 

He told the group there were two important things in life. The first is that boys and girls are different, to which he listed a number of humorous examples, and the second is that life is a rollercoaster.

 

“Never give up on the ride of life because they’ll fix it,” he said. “The question is, will you be there when they do?” 

 

Although his sense of humor captivated the students, he wasn’t afraid to also make them feel uncomfortable, calling individuals out for their disrespect when they weren’t listening.

 

“They didn’t bring me here to do a song and dance,” he told the group. “The songs and jokes are just to loosen you up. I’m here simple because of this. I don’t want anyone to grow up like I did. That’s my purpose.”

 

He explained how he had found out his birth mother considered him a mistake and called him the worst mistake of her life, which hurt him so badly he wanted to die. He also explained how the love of his father saved him.

 

“Love is the key,” he said. “My dad didn’t give up on me. I’m sitting at your door and I won’t give up on you.”

 

That evening the entire community was invited to another presentation given by Dabbs. The event was preceded by a mental health and wellness fair where residents could learn about the resources, programs and organizations available to them for a variety of issues, including mental health, domestic violence, chemical dependency, sexual assault and trauma. 

 

The mental health and wellness fair was sponsored by Dylan’s Hope Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the prevention of suicide through public awareness and community outreach. 

 

For more information on Dylan’s Hope, visit dylanshopefoundation.org. For more information on Reggie Dabbs and his message, visit reggiedabbsonline.com.