Home
>
Success
>
The Ungiven Gift

The Ungiven Gift

He was pencil thin and walked with a limp. A thirteen year-old boy with huge yearning eyes who was always an unlucky patient on the children's floor of the hospital where my youngest daughter was all too often incarcerated.

Curtis had sickle cell anemia, an incurable, painful and terminal disease that plagues young people of African descent.

I would meander into his room to spend a little time with the rebellious loner and would often end up refereeing a screaming match between him and one of the nurses. The street-wise Curtis would usually win.

Over the course of a few years (the hospital was always my home- away-from-home), I eventually learned of the horror of his upbringing, the sad reality of his current life and the apparent dimness of his future.

My experience as a volunteer in the Big Brother-like program in our local Children's Aid Society was that a small dose of interest and some one-on-one attention could go a long way to helping a kid who was in trouble with the law, failing school and in Curtis' case, a social outcast.

So, when my time was over with the last boy I was involved with, I asked the CAS if I could hook up with Curtis, albeit 'unofficially' this time. Problem was, I was in the process of selling my drycleaning business while building a music production studio (for my next career) and my time was too much at a premium to commit to a structured arrangement. They agreed, and I began to hang with Curtis.

I learned in very short order that among his survival skills was the tendency to cajole, cleverly manipulate and even outright steal. Although always kind, I had to have a second set of eyes when in his presence and was forced at times to be, well, curt with Curt.

Also during this time, I was involved in a major lawsuit after having had a song of mine "lifted" by a one-time friend and co-writing partner in Los Angeles, who had become a 'hot' producer of major recording acts. On one of his multi-million selling records was the core of a song of mine he had heard and we discussed in my presence during one of my frequent music trips in the 1980's. I was a little more than hurt and felt I deserved not only the royalties for my creation, but also the credibility that went along with a "cut" of that magnitude by a name recording artist.

I retained a highly regarded entertainment attorney in Detroit (he represented many of the athletes on the professional sports teams in Detroit as well as one of the all time greatest boxers and even some famous civil rights icons) who just happened to also be a truly wonderful and giving human being.

It was in a meeting with this man that I casually mentioned Curtis and my desire to do something very special for him. See, in my heart, I had a feeling Curtis would not live for too many more years. Sickle cell sufferers often died in their early twenties, or even before, a decade ago. I wasn't expecting anything from my lawyer in this regard, but the next day the phone rang and I was instructed to have Curtis "dressed up" and at the Palace of Auburn Hills at a specific gate number one hour prior to a Detroit Pistons game later that week.

He was a huge basketball fan. His hero of heroes was Isaiah Thomas, captain of the Motor City NBA Champs the prior two years. But I didn't let on to Curtis where we were going that night. Just that we were hanging out. I just asked his foster mother (and I use the term "mother" very lightly) to have him dressed nicely with his birth certificate in hand by a certain time.

Curtis was on time, eagerly waiting on his rickety porch when I pulled up. But to my utter dismay, he looked as disheveled as he always did in his overbaggy, tattered clothes. And of course, good ol' foster mom couldn't find his birth certificate. Now, can you imagine the fancy dancin' I had to do at U.S. Customs having this 'gang looking' teenager with no identification trying to cross the border in my new BMW? Well, fate and some silver tongued talkin' prevailed and we were soon racing up I-75 to The Game.

I tried to make idle conversation with the excited but slouching teenager. All Curtis could do was hound me. "Is it a ballgame? Is it a concert?" "Rick, where are we going?" I love to tease. Finally, he glimpsed the landmark dome of the arena from the freeway and knew he was going to get to see his favorite team play.

We found the specified gate, parked and walked to the entrance. Walking with Curtis was always a little frustrating for me (he would do the 'slow, cool stroll' and I am a brisk walker) but this time I knew there was something special awaiting that we should almost race to.

We were met by a well-dressed, executive-looking middle-aged man, who just happened to be the Vice-President of Public Relations for the Detroit Pistons. Talk about first class! He escorted Curtis not to his seat, but directly to the Pistons bench, where Curtis' eyes grew almost as big as the basketballs the giant athletes had just started tossing around in their pre-game warm-up.

I was led to our primest of seats directly behind the bench. A waitress visited only seconds after that, taking my order for refreshments. Everything was "on the house". I saw one of the assistant coaches introduce himself to Curtis, and next thing I know, well, guess who's center court tossing the ball around with his hero, Isaiah? Soon, he was running the court and shooting hoops with Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Joe Dumars and the rest of the elite players!

At this point, I couldn't even imagine the exhilaration that this young man who life never seemed to smile upon was experiencing at this very moment! I mean, how could anyone's wildest imagination even envision this ravaged spirit and body trying to "deek the Bad Boys of basketball?" I just sat quietly in utter amazement, misty eyed and SO grateful to my legal friend and the 'human' management of this professional sports team who arranged all of this for one person. A Canadian kid who was close to my heart

When the warm-up was done, Curtis climbed up with me. The first half of the game was great. The Pistons were pounding their opponents. A few of the players even glanced back and motioned at their new teammate! By the time the half-time buzzer sounded I was certain Curtis' dream day was complete.

But hold on, this was only half time! The same assistant coach who invited Curtis onto the hardwood floor pre-game, called for him to hang with the team in the sanctuary of the dressing room during their much-needed break. Give ME a break!

I'll never forget what I think was the widest smile I have ever seen as the team emerged onto the floor afterwards and my little guy 'cool strolling' as proudly as I've ever seen anyone. And much quicker than I ever recalled. What a night!!

The ride home was quiet. Opposite of the ride there. Curtis slept most of long way home. I could only imagine his dreams. Canada Customs was kind and allowed him to sleep through their few brief questions for me. It was sad to see him sleepily stagger up the sidewalk to his stark reality, after having just left a world where I'd bet no one would believe he had been.

Somehow I thought I would receive a phonecall from Curtis the next day. But it never came. Two days later I had a very good reason to call him. My attorney and the team had arranged to have every player on the NBA Champion Detroit Pistons sign the game ball from that night, and Federal Express it to my home address, to give to Curtis. An autographed yearbook was included too.

I couldn't wait to tell him. I mean, I was flabbergasted at this unexpected and over-the-top gesture! I recall excitedly dialing his number and the deflation after hearing that "Curtis took off to Toronto yesterday." She went on to explain that she didn't know where he was or how to contact him. And neither did the Children's Aid Society.

Little did I know that evening would be the last time I would ever see Curtis. My instincts tell me that he is not with us anymore. But if he is, he has one great gift still waiting for him - The Ungiven Gift.

? Rick Beneteau

Rick is co-creator of the breakthrough Make Every Day A Great Day Program. Read the powerful, life-changing testimonials and discover how this revolutionary product can dramatically change Your Life too!: http://www.makeeverydayagreatday.com/yes

recurring cleaning service Bannockburn ...

In The News:

Gmail's Verified Sender Program launches September 8, 2026, giving U.S. political committees a more reliable path to your personal email inbox.

Elroy Air's Chaparral can carry over 500 pounds and fly 450 miles without a runway, and the FAA just tested it under a new federal program.

Bedrock Robotics says its autonomous excavators are doing paid earthwork on active job sites in Texas and Nevada with no operator in the cab.

A dedicated banking computer isolates your financial accounts from malware and phishing, but passwords, SIM swapping and outdated software remain risks.

The OlloNi SS1 AI robot pet uses a 4K camera and facial recognition to learn your family, but its removable Red Heart memory module raises questions.

Nine identity theft warning signs range from unfamiliar credit inquiries to SIM swap attacks that can quietly drain your bank account funds.

Robot.com's R-dog uses articulated legs and wheels to climb stairs and deliver packages, while its built-in screens display paid ads along the route.

MyChart phishing emails mimic real patient portal alerts with fake lab results and malware tricks that target Windows users across the country.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Google's Motion Assist places animated dots on Pixel screens to combat motion sickness in vehicles, but the Android 17 rollout remains limited.

Moving to a 55+ community can quickly expose your data to scammers and data brokers before you even unpack, putting your whole family at risk.

Amazon Prime Air drone delivery plans to reach nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of 2026, but your yard and ZIP code may determine eligibility.

The FBI reports nearly $21 billion in cybercrime losses for 2025, up 26%, as AI scams make fake voices and identities more convincing than ever.

Uber teen accounts now feature live video streaming from the driver's camera, but encrypted recordings stay on Uber's servers for up to 14 days.

Router firewalls and software firewalls serve different roles in protecting your home Wi-Fi from unwanted traffic and suspicious connections.

A Chrome extension with 70,000 users and a 4.7-star rating began injecting fake update warnings after a threat actor acquired and weaponized it.

Amazon's Alexa+ rolls out free to Fire TV devices across the U.S., but hands-free microphones and stored voice data raise key privacy questions.

Meta's new teen accounts settlement sets a default two-hour daily limit on Instagram and Facebook, plus night mode and school mode restrictions.

The CareCloud data breach exposed Social Security numbers, banking information and medical records belonging to more than 3.75 million people.

Waymo reveals its custom 5-nanometer chip and dual computing systems designed to take over instantly if the robotaxi's primary computer fails.

Identity theft now includes account takeover, phone hijacking and payment card exposure. Here's what to look for in identity theft protection services.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The FBI and Justice Department seized domains tied to QScan and QTRouter, tools allegedly used by China-linked hackers to breach NASA and other agencies.

Uber Eats drone delivery launches later this year through a Zipline partnership, starting in Dallas and Houston with a goal of one million daily flights.

Medicare Open Enrollment scams start with data broker targeting months before October. Learn why August is the time to remove your personal info.

The Ungiven Gift

Success