YouthPhoria UK© The Premier Role Model Edition November 2013 | Page 58

Kane Thomas Kane Thomas is an amazing young man who looked after his mother when she became ill with Bell’s Palsy. His parents had separated and although his father would occasionally drop by and his older brother lived not far away with his grandfather, Kane at the age of 10 became the primary carer and he took his role seriously. “The advice that I would give to someone is to keep on going. No-one said it was going to be No-one said it was going to be easy and you just have to push easy that little bit further to get that little bit extra.” “I would have come “The advice that I wto she wasto‘OK’ andstraight home to someone waste check couldn’t is to keep on going. any time in case she got Iworried and then she would get stressed and that is the last thing we wanted to have happen,” recalls Kane. “I dealt with that by making sure I didn’t cause her any stress.” Young as he was Kane, using the mental strength of a man twice his age, managed to keep home, school and growing up under control. His mother eventually regained her health and, according to Kane, “She’s fine as long as she doesn’t get stressed which could cause her Bell’s Palsy to happen again.” With life virtually back to normal Kane set about paying much needed attention to his school years. Although young, he knows exactly what he wants which is “to be successful in the coming years and enjoy a good life”. And he knows that he has choices. Good with figures he reveals, “I really want to be a maths professor.” But he also likes rugby, so it could be a toss up between maths and becoming a rugby coach. “I play for my school rugby team and I am really enjoying the sport,” says Kane. “I also have an interest in swimming. I swim for a swimming club called Seabyrds where we compete against other swimming clubs by way of galas which is highly competitive and helps develop our progress as a whole.” While he’s pondering those choices he already knows he will be going into either sixth form or college. It’s obvious that whatever he decides with do with his life Kane is steadfast as to what is really important when making decisions. 58 YouthPhoriaUK “I will have explored all possibilities and hopefully know which direction I want to go in. At the moment I just want to keep my head straight, remain focused and concentrate on my school work, doing the best that I can.” That firmly stated, he speaks warmly of his family. “My Uncle Bobby and Uncle Ruddy have taught me how to have respect for one another and to treat people the way you want to be treated and my brother because spoils me,” he beams, “and My Auntie Dee has taught me how to discipline myself and how to take care of other people.” But the person who shines the most in Kane’s eyes is his beloved mother. “Mum provides for me and does everything for me. She teaches me how to be a good person and her way of parenting me is how I am going to be with my children.” Of her illness, which she has overcome he says, “Everyday I would pray for my Mum to get better and in the end she did, so God was always by our side watching over us and caring for us.” Kane’s caring and committed attitude has not gone unnoticed and he was nominated and won the ‘Local Hero Award’ in Middlesex as well as the ‘BYA Community Award’, both in 2011. Clearly a young man with a bright future, Kane Thomas is a great example of someone who was presented with challenges but didn’t allow them to make him feel sad or stop him from achieving his goals and dreams.