Can I take a moment and talk about our own personal experience with Brad Wilcox.
My two sons are adopted. They are both great boys, but both have their individual challenges. For my oldest son, it was clear pretty early that school was going to be difficult. He was born with an extra measure of energy. So much so he struggled to make it through a single school day. It became clear that the traditional school setting was not for him. When he was in about 3rd grade, he was placed in a special program in School District for all the kids who couldn’t assimilate to traditional learning.
All was well and it seemed like the perfect setting until he hit 5th grade. At 5th grade all the 5th and 6th graders were put together. They also received a new teacher his 5th grade year who didn’t fully understand the program. Withing a few weeks of the school year starting things spiraled into an abys. We were at the school almost every single day for months. His attitude was changing. His vocabulary became very course and offensive. He became combative verbally assaulting every figure of authority at the school. It was almost as though at school he would become possessed by some demonic power. I know that is kind of hard to say about your kid, but wow, the contrast was mind boggling for us as parents.
One day we were sitting in the principal’s office to discuss our son’s behavior. While there, the principle called and spoke with someone at the School District office about the situation. It wasn’t just our son; the whole class had become this way and the school desperately needed help. When he got off the phone, he said they were going to have a special meeting and Brad Wilcox was going to come speak to the boys. Brother Wilcox has been at the School District’s office doing some work with this person on the other side of the phone and volunteered to come speak to the boys. I though yes! I was so excited.
I remember sitting there waiting for the meeting to start. It was each boy with a parent or guardian sitting in the school library. I was personally so excited for the meeting. I had this expectation of a message of respect, valuing others, and appropriate language being taught in an uplifting and inspiring way. To my horror, when Brother Wilcox started to talk, it was all about young boys being rapped and the sexual abused. How to draw boundaries. How to protect yourself. How to overcome this type of childhood trauma. I was horrified and instantly knew how horrible of a situation my child was in.
I didn’t need to have it explained to me. There were children in my son’s class lashing out because of sexual abuse they had experienced, and my son was following their examples. He was feeding off the psyche of the other students.
He never went back to class. We pulled him out of school.
It took a few months until we found an academy with the perfect educational structure for him. He began attending and flourishing in this new environment. My son also made great strides changing once he was removed from that environment.
A few months later we wrote Brother Wilcox a letter and thanked him for spending the time with the boys. My son wrote his own letter thanking him as well and telling Brother Wilcox about the changes he had made. My son received in reply, the kindest handwritten note and gift from Brother Wilcox. It wasn’t just that though. The letter was full of encouragement and even set some goals for my son to continue progressing. It encouraged him to memorize the Young Men’s Motto and recite it daily. It was so amazing, we framed it and put it upon my son’s wall so he could see it and read it every day. I was so blown away by the kind gesture, that he would take the time to hand write my son a note and send him a gift. My son was on cloud 9. Even to this day, years later if he hears the name Brad Wilcox his ears perk up and he gets excited because of the influence Brother Wilcox played in his life. He likes to brag that he knows Brad Wilcox.
Since that day, we have written Brad Wilcox giving him updates and received responses full of the same love and encouragement. As an adult, I know how hard it is to make time. The few moments of his personal time that Brother Wilcox shared us have been priceless.
So, when I listened to this interview the other day on Let’s get real with Stephen Jones, I could see Brother Wilcox’s words mirroring his actions. He wasn’t paid to go speak to those boys that day. He did it because they needed it. He wasn’t paid to act so kindly to our son, he did it because that is who he is, and his heart is full of love and compassion. I truly believe that is who Brad Wilcox is.
Thank you, Brad Wilcox. It is my hope and prayer that you are forever blessed for your example and all the good you do.