Man inspires the Nation by overcoming incredible odds

The events of 1977 that took place would forever begin to shape Chad Gaines and his entire life.  While out fishing with his father, Chad was abandoned at a local fishing hole and his father would never return back.  A few years later, would be the start of many young years he suffered of incredible and uncontrollable acts of physical and emotional child abuse. 

At many times the abuse was so horrific and critical that it should have ended his young life before ever seeing the age of 10.  Gangs, drugs and alcohol addictions soon followed him as a teenager, and then had become his closest ally.  Gaines started using the street drugs and joined his first gang at the tender age of fourteen on the rough streets of Lakeland, Florida in the early 1980’s.  Gaines says, “I was going to do whatever I could to cover my pain and humiliation as a seven year old boy when the memories started digging deeply and I was, beat on and spit at by my mother.”

At age sixteen, Chad had made the long journey back to his hometown in Indiana, completely alone, and parent less.  Once he got clean, he then went to work for the next ten years until 1998 when everything changed traumatically again for him.  Gaines went back to gangs, violence, drugs, and alcohol.  This time on a higher level, he was more violent than every before.  In just the year of 1999 Chad was arrested fourteen times!  In January of 1999, he was sentenced to spend one year in prison for criminal gang activity in Indiana.  Gaines says, “I was so broken with anger and addictions.  If I wouldn’t have been sentenced to do that time behind steel bars, I would have been killed or died of an overdose.”

After a suicide attempt within his first month in jail, and landing literally face first into the concrete, Chad found something that would change his entire life.  He found a book, “Twice Pardoned” under his cell bed.  Even though he could not read, Gaines was determined to follow through with his curiosity of what this book would eventually mean to him.  Studying the dictionary and sounding out words Gaines taught himself how to read and write. 

The silence in his 8-foot-by-10 foot jail cell provided peace and a new strength.  Chad says, “I came out of there a new man, God had freed me from my past and allowed me the ability to move forward so that I could teach and share with others worldwide how to be one that overcomes instead of one that is overcome.”

In late 2000, Gaines started speaking at churches, high schools, and middle school while maintaining a full-time job as a server at a local restaurant.   In February 2004, a devastating car accident with a drunken driver sent his car end over end nine times before landing upside down in a pool of frozen Indiana water where Chad was trapped.

“I remember right before the water filled my car I yelled out ‘Jesus, I don’t want to die!’  The next thing I know I was standing at the top of the road without so much as a scratch.  I truly believe God saved me once again from a certain death.”

Nearly six months to the date of that horrifying car accident Chad Gaines walked on stage in Tulsa, Oklahoma and in front of over 2,000 people and was honored as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans in our nation for overcoming Insurmountable odds in ones life. Chad joins a distinguished group of alumni, who includes: President John F. Kennedy, President Richard Nixon, Quarterback Payton Manning, Singer John Denver, Jesse Jackson, actor Christopher {Superman} Reeve, and Walt Disney.  The Ten Outstanding Young Americans (TOYA) project exists to recognize and honor ten Americans each year, who exemplify the best attributes of the nation’s young people, aged 18 through 40.

The Ten Outstanding Young Men program was officially adopted in 1938 and has been conducted annually since 1940. In 1984, The U.S. Junior Chamber admitted women as members and, in accordance with this change, reorganized this awards program to reflect the organization’s membership. In 1985, the program was officially changed to Ten Outstanding Young Americans, recognizing the accomplishments of young women and men.

Winners are selected on their achievement or contribution in at least three of the following areas: personal improvement or accomplishment; financial success or economic innovation; social improvement to major contemporary problems; philanthropic contribution or voluntary service; politics or government service; scientific or technological contributions; legal reform; cultural achievement (literature, history, education, arts); academic leadership or accomplishment; moral and religious leadership; athletic accomplishment; success in the influence of public opinion; any other important contribution to the community, state, or nation.

Copies of all entries are sent to screening judges who independently select and rank the twenty semi-finalists.  The entries of the semi-finalists are sent to finalist judges who independently narrow the selection to the ten men and women selected as TOYA honorees.

Of the more than 600 young Americans honored, many were recognized before the achievements for which they are now known: John F. Kennedy, Gerald R. Ford, Ann Bancroft, Gale Sayers, Elvis Presley, Dan Quayle, Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, Larry Holmes, Bill Clinton, Jeanna Yeager, Kaye Lani Rae Rafko-Wilson.  Refer to the USJC website for a complete listing of the past honorees.

From there Mr. Gaines was honored in 2008 for being Indiana’s Volunteer of the year by donating more time than any other in his state. The Daily Point of Light Award honors individuals and groups creating meaningful change in communities across America. 

History of the Daily Point of Light Award:

The Daily Point of Light Award was originally established by former President George H. W. Bush to engage individuals, families, businesses and groups to solve community problems through voluntary service.  During his presidency, President Bush distributed 1,020 Daily Point of Light Awards, placing volunteer service at the top of his agenda.  Our nation’s current President continues to sign all of the awards today.

Today Mr. Gaines definitely connects with people around the nation, and his audiences are inspired to RETHINK and REACT differently to life.  He has spoken to crowds as large as 6,000 and more than 500,000 teens, parents, and business professionals throughout the nation to better their lives and businesses. Some of Chad's distinctive accomplishments have been recognized through a number of awards, as well as personal commendations from the President of the United States.

You don't have to meet Chad Gaines to know why he's been nationally recognized, where his fast paced sense of wit comes from, or his array of many skills and talents have surfaced from.  There is always access on the world wide web at www.chadgaines.org or you just may find it easiest to just simply await his new book based on his incredible life story will finally be put on the shelves of bookstores worldwide in the winter of 2011 titled simply, “One Day I Will” (the book that inspired the Nation).  As Chad Gaines puts it: "For 38 years now, God made me a champ and now I get to live up to it."

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