Carrying the torch | Ruett Foster | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

I remember back in 1984,

the Olympics had come to town,

and I was so excited
that the Olympics were there.

I was a runner, and I loved to run.

I was actually a very gifted runner.

So I remember I did
my homework, and I found out

when the Olympic torch was going to be
coming through my neighborhood.

I lived in South Central.

So I remember it was early,
maybe 8:00 that morning.

The torch bearer came down Central Avenue,

and I just remember
the exhilaration that I felt.

I just said, "I wonder what that's like."

I'm a runner and the pinnacle
of academic achievement for me

would be to carry the torch.

Big dream, though.
So, big dream: I let that go.

(Laughter)

That's okay, though.

But I did let it go, honestly.

(Laughter)

A year before our lives
changed so drastically,

my wife and I were watching
something on television,

and we saw this silent march.

And in this silent march,
there were these people marching

because loved ones
had been lost to gun violence.

And they were symbolizing
that the violence needed to stop

and we're taking a stand in unity;
we're unifying with one another.

The next year, as you can see,

I was in that same march

because our son's life had been taken.

And it was a horrific thing,
but again, what do you do?

You live.

We went through: it was hard;
it was difficult; we were angry.

We were enraged, but we took that
and with the help of God,

we were able to channel it back
into something very, very wonderful.

There are a number of things
that have transpired since this happened.

A number of intense things have happened.

But, you know, we keep our focus
on what we are supposed to in this life.

And part of our thing
is touching the lives of others.

Our son Evan, the 7-year-old,
lost his life to gun violence.

It was a terrible thing,

but he had his campaign speech
in his little history class

a couple weeks before his life was taken.

And he said, "If I were President,

I would talk to those
who cause harm to others,

and I would tell them to go to church."

And that was part of our motivation
for reaching out

and going into the youth
correctional facilities

and seeking to instill life
in lifeless situations.

You know, my other son, Alec,
his life was impacted as well.

You know, he sustained eye injuries.

He had to have a cornea
buttonhole transplant in his eye.

He had to have several surgeries.

It was a very horrific thing
to make funeral plans

but also try to sustain my other son,

to make sure his sight was still there.

It was a horrible time;
it was a difficult time.

It was a challenging time of life,

but we took those situations,

and we became empowered
by the purpose that came up in us.

And that's one thing,
that tragedy can happen,

and sometimes when tragedies happen,

you can make difficult
or you can make bad decisions.

But we rose.

We rose to the occasion

and allowed the Lord
to lead us in this thing.

So we started going
into the youth correctional facilities.

We went into the camps,

and we have just poured our life
and the love into individuals.

The one award here,
the "Changing Lives Award,"

was an award that we received.

And this, to my wife and I, to our credit,

this is the most important award
that we could ever have received.

And it's important

because this was voted upon
by incarcerated young men.

They had to determine, over the years
that they had been incarcerated,

who were the people that maybe
impacted their lives the most

in a positive influential way

and over a period of years.

We had no idea we were there to hear this

and thought this is going to be
a great honor for someone.

They called our names,
and that just meant so much to us

because the work that we were doing

was making an impact

in the lives of the young men
that were in the facilities.

In closing, I shared with you
in the very beginning

that I stood out on the street
in South Central Los Angeles

and I wondered what it would
be like to carry the torch.

And basically, through the work

that my wife and I have been
able to do over the years,

we were recognized.

When the Olympics came through Los Angeles

for Salt Lake City in 2002,

I had the privilege
of carrying the Olympic torch.

And what I would say to that
is we all have a torch to carry.

We all have a purpose in life,
and hold that torch high,

and run hard with sincere intention.

Thank you.

(Applause)