Born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised in Uniondale, NY, Steve’s motivation and drive is molded from his life experiences. Having grown up with little, Steve’s parents made sure that he and his two older siblings were never wanting of any necessities. Growing up Steve there were a few major inspirational influences that have molded him into the person he is today.
From humble beginnings in Jamaica Steve’s grandmother, affectionately known as Miss Cee, owned a large parcel of land where she had her home, a market, a bar and a betting shop but most importantly she allowed others who were less fortunate to build small homes on her property. She fed, clothed and even employed local residents and remained a pillar in the community until her passing in 1992.
Steve’s parents, Desmond and Valerie carried on the giving tradition after migrating to the US in 1980 by being an active and influential part of the Uniondale PAL. Desmond coached soccer teams and helped organize the weekly Sunday matches at Turtle Hook Middle School. Alongside a number of concerned parents, Desmond helped spearhead the creation of a boys travel soccer team which kept many young boys off the streets and out of trouble.
Another great part of Steve’s inspiration came from his beautiful wife Niala and her Uncle Timmy. Timmy was a great man with an enormous heart. He would take Niala and her siblings to feed and clothe the homeless in Manhattan. After his passing Niala was eager to continue Timmy’s legacy and so she encouraged Steve to help her teach their children the urgency behind helping the less fortunate.
While there are many more countless lessons to be learned throughout Steve’s life, another which is engrained in his soul is the loss his older sister Michele at the age of 32. It has taught and constantly reminded Steve that life is short and no one is guaranteed tomorrow, so make every attempt to leave this world better than you found it and it is all of our responsibilities to take care of each other.
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