Mcneely’s motivation from mistakes

Senior Kamari Mcneely has had many difficult times in his life, but with the help of a loving family and football he has been able to overcome the hardships.

In 2006 Mcneely’s family decided to move to Grand Rapids. Even though his life finally seemed to take a turn for the better, there was one thing still missing: a father. When Mcneely was a baby, his father was incarcerated.

“My dad has always been described as a hot head, and in the end would stay loyal to his friends by not telling on them,” Mcneely said.

Growing up without a father and having difficulties at home, Mcneely decided to play football in eighth grade in an effort to keep himself out of trouble.

At the end of his senior football season Mcneely reflected on the year and was able to create some positive memories despite the team’s negative record.

“Being around this football team gave me a true leadership role because I knew all the younger guys were looking up to me,” Mcneely said.

In the summer of 2017 an opportunity arose that would determine the outcome of his future.

“In the summer I was never at my mom’s, it wasn’t the environment I wanted to be to around,” Mcneely said. “I stayed at Jayden Beeney’s house for two weeks straight, and at the end of the second week he asked me to move in with him.”

Without this change he wouldn’t have been able to graduate this year.

“I actually didn’t realize that I had failed an online course and without Beeney’s mom going in and talking with the guidance counselor, I probably wouldn’t be able to graduate,” Mcneely said.

In 2017 Mcneely’s father was released from prison after 17 years. Mcneely didn’t feel the urge to hate his father and didn’t have regrets.

Only a few months after being released, his father was diagnosed with cancer. Mcneely dedicated his senior year blackout jersey to his father by wearing his last name on the back.

“I really just wanted to be by his side through all this,” Mcneely said.

Now with only a couple months left of high school, Mcneely has thoughts of going to college next year.

“I want to attend GRCC and then eventually a bigger university to pursue sports medicine,” Mcneely said.

It just goes to show that on one day you could feel completely lost and the next you could be presented with an opportunity that could change your life for the better.