Not everyone is given the same opportunities in life, and some people have to go through a lot more than others early on. But it’s through these struggles that we can learn and grow as people, so long as we find love and strength.
That’s something a young man named Malachi Coleman has learned over the years, and it's why he now wants to give back.
A Rough Start in Life
On The Kelly Clarkson Show, Clarkson often highlights people she says are “Rad Humans.” Well, after hearing Coleman’s story, she knew she had found another one. So she invited him and his adoptive parents, Miranda and Craig, onto the show to share their story.
Growing up, Malachi didn’t have parents. His mom was an alcoholic and a drug addict who wasn’t in the picture much, and his father had died. That left the little boy to take care of his younger sister however he could.
“Eventually, my mom, she picked us up, took us to a stranger’s house and said, ‘I’ll be back,’” he recalled on the show. “And that was the last time I ever saw her.”
From there, Malachi and his sister went to foster home after foster home for four years. It was rough, and it had a detrimental effect on the young boy. He no longer trusted anyone, he was scared to form relationships with others, and he found that he had no purpose.
A Couple With No Plans for Their Own Family
Around the same time, Craig and Miranda were recently married and knew they didn’t want to have children of their own. However, they figured they could temporarily help another human, so they took classes on becoming foster parents. When the class finished, the instructor handed them two folders and informed them they wanted the couple to adopt two kids: Malachi and his sister.
They began doing weekend visits. According to Craig, Malachi showed up with a garbage bag full of clothes, a football, and a dream of playing football. “He could throw the ball harder than I could,” he recalled.
“As the visits would come along, he would kind of burn hot if we had to tell him some bad news. So we used that to our advantage,” he continued. “Right before football practice, we would go ahead and give him the bad news and tell him, ‘Go burn it off.’”
A New Kind of Family
Although Malachi had a new family and was safe with his sister, he still had a hard time finding his purpose or feeling safe. “I was always running hot with pretty much everything,” he admitted. “And my mom noticed that. So she sat me down at the table, and she had a conversation with me, and she wanted me to find a way to help one person. This super simple task, something you can do every day.”
At first, Malachi fought it. He detailed how he and his mom had a 30 or 40-minute conversation in which he was “naïve” and just said “no” to everything. Finally, Miranda pleaded with him to just open the door for one person. He thought about it and agreed. The next day he held the door open for someone, and it changed his life.
“The appreciation that person just showed me, just that little quick thank you, was something that I never had up to that point in my life,” he explained. “I never had the feeling of being wanted. I never had that. And it just made me want to do it more and more and made me want to open my heart up to everybody that I possibly could. That kinda made me who I am today.”
“Just seeing it unfold, what his heart really was, right before our eyes was great,” Miranda added.
Finding a Way to Give Back
Today, Malachi is considered one of the best high school athletes in the country. He was recruited by more than 40 schools to play college football, but he chose to stay in his hometown of Nebraska. It’s safe to say he has a bright future in store, but more importantly, he’s found a purpose: helping other kids who are in the same position he was.
Although he’s only about to enter college, Malachi is already working on his own not-for-profit and exploring ways to give back to foster kids. He teamed up with a local restaurant to take advantage of recent legislation, and his dream of helping youth is already in motion.
“I’m making sure [the money] is given to foster kids that didn’t have the same opportunities that I did,” he said. “So they can do any activity they want: arts, music, dance, sports. I want them to have the opportunity to take care of themselves in the way that I couldn’t.”
Clarkson was so impressed that she and the show also teamed with a company called Dude Wipes. “They want to help the not-for-profit get off the ground, so they’re donating $15,000,” Clarkson revealed as the entire family’s jaws dropped to the floor. “You’re giving a great opportunity for other kiddos.”
The Power of Giving Back
If you ever needed proof that the gift of giving is the ultimate gift, this story is it.
From Miranda and Craig taking in two children to the powerful lesson Miranda taught Malachi that day, to Malachi working to launch his own not-for-profit, to Kelly Clarkson gifting the money to get it going, this story is a big cycle that demonstrates just how powerful giving back can be.
Not only does helping others make the world a better place, but it makes you feel better too. And in some cases, like with Malachi, it can also give you a much-needed purpose. If you’ve been feeling down, aimless, or wondering what comes next, maybe you, too, could hold the door open for someone tomorrow.
Or maybe you want to take it to the next level, too. Volunteer your time at a charity or a local organization. Coach a sports team. Head to your local Goodwill and see if you can help sort through donations. Whatever you decide to do to give back, just remember that it could be the thing that changes your life or sets you and others up for something wonderful and new.
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