Aug 7, 2009 8:35 pm US/Pacific
Alfonso Taylor: From Homeless To College Success
Jesse Rosenberg
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS) ―
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Alfonso standing on the podium in Wells Fargo's conference room
CBS
Never in his hopeless abandonment did Alfonso Taylor see himself building homes for Hurricane Katrina victims eleven years ago. For a young boy who never had a place to call home, he had no idea what growing up in one was like.
"I'm always amazed to see how others live their lives. It makes me appreciate what I have that much more."
He was just a baby when his mother was shot by his father.
"I was 9 months old when my mom died. All I have are stories. It's hard to miss someone you never knew."
After his mom was killed, the 3 children moved in with their grandmother who was an alcoholic. It became a living nightmare. For 8 years, she verbally and physically abused them.
"Some days were just hell. She would be drunk and if anything was wrong or out of place, we would get our butts kicked."
His sister was only thirteen years old but she could see the situation was becoming dangerous. She told her brothers to pack, and one night after their grandmother passed out, they left.
"I was so scared to get caught. I wasn't even scared of what would happen to us out on the street. If we got caught, I was going to die."
Alfonso was only eight when they ran away.
They moved in with their Aunt and the physical abuse resurfaced again. This time, the boys asked a teacher for help. She says,
"They truly care for each other. They stood up for each other; they took the abuse for one another. That's how they healed each other, by talking about it."
Alfonso, now in his third year at Ohio Wesleyan University studying international relations and Spanish, has traveled to Thailand and plans on continuing his travels abroad in Spain this fall.
He also landed a great opportunity at Wells Fargo this summer.
"He's not afraid of taking chances—of jumping into new life experiences and soaking up all that they might offer," says Wallace De Young, Alfonso's boss at Wells Fargo.
Alfonso says "I want to show the world everybody out there, kids, adults, my brothers and sisters that people can change if they really want to."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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