There once was a boy named Kwaku Hoff that lived in the Bronx. He grew up with a younger brother, his name was Malik. He also had a mom but she wasn’t around very much because she had to work so much. But, he didn’t have a dad. From what his mom had told him, his dad was a great man, but he just wasn’t ready for a kid. They were dating for 4 months before she got pregnant, and she didn’t tell him until he started noticing that she had a lump in your stomach, and when she told him that she was pregnant, he left and no one had seen him since. So, it’s very hard on his family, especially Kwaku.

Kwaku was a young boy in elementary school when he tried out for the school basketball team. He had never played basketball competitively, but he play at the courts behind his house for as long as he could remember. As the tryout when on, he clearly stood out as one of the best there. The coach didn’t know him so he walked and asked “excuse me, what’s your name and what grade are you in.”
Kwaku responded, “Kwaku Hoff sir, 5th grade.” From then on, his basketball career just elevated.

As he played more and more, and going to different tournaments he kept on being asked to be on the top club teams in all of New York. In fact, he became so good that his freshman year in high school, he made the varsity team. He didn’t play that much but he was the only freshman in years to make varsity. Until, one game the starting point guard got injured and the coach called his number to go in. His heart dropped and all of the sudden got really nervous. He went in to go get the ball and as soon as he passed half court he got trapped and turned the ball over. The next play the other team did the exact same thing, but only this time he knew it was coming. So, he split them with a behind the legs move and pulled up for a three and it went in. He continued to play the rest of that game. From then on, everyone in the school knew the name Kwaku Hoff.

Every night before he could go to bed he has to feed his little brother and do his chores which include: Cleaning the dishes, taking out the trash, making the table, putting all of the dry dishes away, and watching the door until his mom got home. This is because in his neighborhood, you never know what can happen. Once his mom got home he could finally do his homework. At this point, it was almost midnight and he is usually cashed from basketball. But, he pushes through and he continuously has a B average. Every night as he puts his brother to bed and tucks him in he tells him, “everything is going to be better, everything is going to be ok.”

He continuously plays basketball and he gets to his Senior year with big expectations. He has received scholarships from all of the best Division 2 schools but he has his eye on Syracuse University. They have been his dream school since day 1. As his senior season goes on, he lives to the hype averaging 25 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds a game. Some even think that he could become first team all-state. After his last game of the regular season comes to an end he gets a call from Jim Boeheim, the Head Coach at Syracuse. Kwaku picked it up and said, “Hello sir, I just wanted to say that it is an honor for you to call me.”

Jim responds, “Thank you, I am calling to see when your next game is because I am looking to see you play ball.”

Kwaku told him and then went on talking for another few minutes and eventually they both hung up. He was in such shock that he forgot to do his chores and when his mom got home he told her and she broke down into tears. But, she needed to tell Kwaku something. She said, “your father is coming into town for your next game. He will be arriving tomorrow.” Kwaku just stood there. He couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t sure whether to be happy or not. He had never seen his father. But, then he remember how he left his mother with him. He became furious. He went on a rant yelling out how he shouldn’t even bother coming because he wasn’t going to talk to him, he wasn’t going to look at him, in fact he wasn’t even going to acknowledge him.

As he was getting ready for his playoff game and warming up he looked up into the crowd he saw Jim Boeheim and waved. He had the most butterflies he’s ever had, and it wasn’t because of his dream coach. He was just waiting to see the face of the man that left him so many years ago. Then, it was time for the starting lineups to be introduced. When he was called up he looked up into the top right corner of the crowd and saw who he just felt was his dad. All of the sudden his butterflies went away. He went on to score a school record 43 points that game and as he was going to the locker room Jim Boeheim pulled him aside and said, “you played great tonight son, I think that you would be a perfect fit for our system and I want you to come to Syracuse.”

Kwaku was speechless. Jim told him to think about it and talk to his family. As soon as he said family Kwaku remembered that his dad was there and looked up to see if he could see him and he was gone.

On his walk home, he just couldn’t stop thinking about his dad. He had been picturing him so differently his whole life. He arrived home and his dad was on the couch waiting for him. Kwaku just stood there. His dad said, “sit down son.”

Kwaku sat down and just flooded him with questions, “where have you been? What’s your name? Did you start another family? Why didn’t you ever visit?”

He responded, “calm down, calm down, I will tell you just calm down.”

They sat there for hours and hours on end. Neither got up to get water, to go to the bathroom, or to get something to eat. They just sat there. He forgave him because it turned out that his mother was right with what she about him not being ready for a child and he hadn’t been until few weeks ago when he held his sister’s baby that he realized that he needed to come back. Kwaku understood.

From then on his dad went to every single one of Kwaku’s games at Syracuse. But, he could only stay at Syracuse for one season because he needed to provide for his family. Kwaku was determined to play basketball after high school and he did that and more, but bigger than basketball is that he  became a man the day that he forgave his father. He forgave him for everything that he did and didn’t do. Some people make mistakes in the past that they regret so much. It is the right thing to do to forgive them especially if they are family, because everyone makes mistakes and they can’t change that, you  can only forgive them for what they did.