Fate Strikes
His foster parents found him in a dumpster when he was only two years old. They always said they couldn’t understand why anyone would abandon such a beautiful baby. But they also thanked fate for leading him to them.
For him, the only thing he ever wanted was to make them proud and to repay them for the kindness they showed him. He didn’t know that pursuit would result in this.
Humble Beginnings
Freddie Figgers’ life is a tale straight out of a legend. Found by Nathan and Betty Mae Figgers in Quincy, North Florida, Freddie always knew he was meant to do big things with his life.
Although his childhood was very trying, he learned from every challenging experience and innovated around them. He became so good at it that it defined his adult life.
A Passion Worth Pursuing
Freddie was eight years old when the world’s truth was first laid bare before him. He’d always known he was adopted, but something within him begged for him to seek out the truth.
In a heartbreaking conversation with his dad, Freddie learned the truth about his biological parents. “Your biological mother, she threw you away,” his dad shared. What he said next made Freddie’s eyes water.
The Love Of A Father
“Me and Betty Mae, we didn’t want to send you through foster care, and we adopted you,” Freddie’s dad said. “You’re my son.’” Even though revelation broke Freddie, he was glad to know that his adoptive parents loved him enough to let him stay with them.
He was sure the trials in his life were over, not knowing that they’d only begun.
More Problems
Freddie enrolled in school, but the children there made his life miserable. They would tease and bully him for hours, calling him harsh names such as dumpster and trash can boy.
Seeing no end to their bullying, Freddie called on his dad to pick him up from school. But the kids didn’t spare him either. The school environment became a living nightmare for Freddie, but it would also lead him to his destiny.
Treasure And Trash
Freddie’s parents weren’t the most well-off people in Quincy. They’d dumpster dive searching for anything valuable for their son to play with after school. Since Freddie had no friends, he started joining his dad, searching for treasure.
For Freddie, the goal of their hunt was a Gateway computer. He’d formed this insatiable taste for electronics that he couldn’t explain, and only such a glorious machine could quench this thirst.
A Rare Find
Freddie and his dad spent months dumpster diving with no luck. But one day, all this changed. While at their local Goodwill store, Freddie’s dad spotted a Macintosh computer.
“Hey, I’ll give it to you for $24,” the storekeeper said when Freddie and his dad persuaded him to sell it to them. Although the computer didn’t work, its broken state would form the foundation for Freddie’s future.
The Love Of His Life
Freddie immediately fell upon the computer when they got home. Although he was only nine, he’d been tinkering with radios and alarm clocks for a while now.
Freddie realized the computer had several broken capacitors. Of course, he figured out a way to fix them and bring the machine to life. Soon after, he was fixing computers at school as a pass time. This would garner the attention of a significant person in his city.
The Doors Start Opening
Freddie’s life had been difficult before his dad got him that Macintosh. The computer took away all his pain and made him feel like he had a purpose in the world.
Quincy’s mayor, who also doubled as the after-school program director at Freddie’s school, noticed his skills. She invited his family to city hall. The haul she presented Freddie with was enough to shatter his young mind.
He Finds A Path
“I need these computers repaired,” the mayor said, pointing to more than a hundred broken computers. She also offered a $12 per hour paycheck.
Freddie could not believe it. He immediately set upon the computers, but something even more significant was barreling his way.
Opportunities Come Knocking
Three had years passed, and Freddie had grown into his role. He developed a program that checked Quincy’s water gauge, a feat that would’ve cost the city $600,000.
Building the system showed Freddie that he could do anything he set his eyes on. He dropped out of school and started his own company at 15. Everything was going fine until disaster struck.
A Bitter-Sweet Reality
Freddie’s dad developed Alzheimer’s disease, which shattered Freddie’s world. The condition endangered his dad’s life as he would sometimes leave the house without knowing where he was going.
The need to care for his dad pushed Freddie to develop a tracker fitted with a microphone into his dad’s shoe. He could locate and even communicate with his dad. Even though this revolutionary technology would land Freddie his first two million dollars, it wouldn’t stop the problems from charging his way.
Fate’s Cruel Hand
Freddie was closing his two million dollar deal when his dad passed away. He’d wanted to buy him a 1993 Ford pick-up truck and a fishing boat as a thank you for all he’d done for him.
His dad’s passing crushed Freddie. All he ever wanted was to make his dad proud. How could his dad pass away when life was finally looking up for the Figgers family? His death would teach Freddie an invaluable lesson.
Lesson Learned
Freddie analyzed his dad’s long life, realizing the man worked hard to impact people’s lives although he was poor. Could Freddie emulate him? Could he help anyone who came his way?
The thought of being like his dad led Freddie down the path of helping others. His parents had taken him in when no one else would. They’d given him a life, a dream to pursue, and a reality to live in. Freddie would make them proud.
A Bright Future
By now, Freddy’s company had grown into a massive technology powerhouse. Valued at over sixty million dollars, it offered Freddie the chance to lend a helping hand to communities worldwide through charities and foundations.
To him, money was nothing but a tool. “I’m going to do everything in my power to try to make the world a better place before I leave it,” he said.