Monday, September 10, 2012

Grand Success Story: Jimmy Wayne

You probably know Jimmy Wayne as a country music star, but do you know the story of how he got to where he is today?

Jimmy Wayne grew up in Kings Mountain, North Carolina with his older sister and mother. By the time he was 14, he had been in and out of the foster care system and attended 12 different schools in two years. His mother was in prison, and he and his sister Patricia were on their own. It was not an easy life for a bright and gifted child. When he was 15 years old, he found himself in juvenile detention for running away from a group home. At 16, he was living on the streets, until one fateful day when he met Bea and Russell Costner. The older couple were in their 70s when they met Jimmy. They gave him a home, the ability to complete his education and most of all, stability and love.

"If the Costners hadn't stepped up and given me a home, I would not have survived," Wayne says. "Every good thing that has happened to me, I owe to them taking a chance on a long haired, tattooed kid. The day I rode my bike by their place, and stopped and asked if they had any work I could do was a turning point in my life."

 

Check back throughout the week to read more Grand Success Stories!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jimmy Wayne is not only our favorite singer in my family and among my friends, but he is an American hero who inspires us all to never forget the children and young people who need our focus and deserve our help! They are our future! God bless Jimmy Wayne and other angels and heroes like him who turn their own pain into triumph and pay it forward! ~Connie Lee

Anonymous said...

Jimmy Wayne has been a favorite Singer of mine ever since he first came out with his 1st CD in 2003! After going to many of his Concerts & following him on the www.Projectmmh.org Walk 1/2 Across America to raise the Awareness of the Foster Youth Aging out at 18, to help pass the laws for the Age to be moved to 21! Jimmy has brought us the Awareness of the Plight of the Foster Youth! To help in anyway that we can! From getting involved with CASA, Foster Youth Homes, Paper Angels that is connected to the Salvation Army! He is a True Hero for Foster Youth! God Bless Jimmy & all those that help to fight for the Foster Youth! Sharon Lucasi

Anonymous said...

I could just copy and paste what both Connie and Sharon said about Jimmy because thats exactly how I feel also. Our aging out youth need a voice. So many young people with no voice and one person trying to speak up for all of them. He's trying to wake up a nation asleep at the switch and not paying attention to our homeless and at risk youth. Help get the word out about our at risk youth. They are our future. Wendy S.