Never Give Up: The Homeless Teen Who Is Graduating the Head of the Class

Valedictorian at First Coast High School in Jacksonville, Florida, with a message of hope, "Never give up."

[@ScottyPham]

It's funny. I have several classes with Griffin and I did not know his story for some time. About half the semester went by and I saw a post on his Facebook about his baseball journey. I was curious and so I looked his name up, little did I know that I would find out his life story. Griffin is a remarkable young man. He is a great friend, and he is amazingly talented. I am glad to call him my Lab Partner, my Classmate, and my Friend. Keep up the good work Griffin, and Never Give Up.

[@RandallRedman]

Scott - Artistry in MOtion.

[@sinyutsoi3116]

I deeply regretted not working hard at school. We should believe ourselves that we could indeed achieve much greater than we think. This guy is truly inspirational!

[@TheNinjafighta]

Homeless and valedictorian kudos to your hard work man you earned it and it will pay off

[@KrazeDiamond]

Characters and virtues are not born with, but taught through parenting. He must have a great dad.

[@reyjohnmarksangcap3833]

His story brought tears to my eyes. There are a lot of students who are on the same shoes as Furlong here in the Philippines. Most of them are from the remote provinces of the country. Unfortunately, majority of them don't pursue their college education due to financial incapacity. Anyway, this is very inspiring. God bless you in your journey to success, Mr. Furlong!

[@DaphySomm]

Being homeless is extremely hard but it does push you to reach higher.

[@F-J.]

Or destroys you.

[@ns2110theonly]

This is what a true, one in a trillion, hero looks like. If all young people aspired to have one one hundredth of the class and goodness of this wonderful person, the world could be a better place.

[@cautiouslyoptimistic1962]

All I know is, I have been going through a really bad time lately, this young man said something not one of my councilors had said. Sense of purpose. I had lost mine, he has inspired me. I am glad for him, and grateful for his speech. I am one life he changed. Thanks, and I will not give up.

[@bobkop1890]

atleast one girl i now know that is not a gold/money digger!

[@AneurinHsu]

bob kop I think she is. She found the true gold within him.

[@bobkop1890]

Aneurin Hsu true well said

[@ShariLyssa]

bob kop Aneurin Hsu That's unfortunate the way you perceive women

[@potatosmasher1072]

bob kop bruh you serious -_-

[@IRACAROLINA2001]

HE HAS GOOD CHARACTER.

[@pheebelikes3500]

12 years of homelessness. That's tough. Wish him all the Good luck in the world with school and graduating. If you can get out of being homeless, you do the best to get out of that situation and move forward from it.

[@PeiyunPianist]

respect for this amazing student!!

[@mariejohnson732]

Wow...what an outstanding young man! I hope he reaches for the stars!

[@MrSasaMilosevic]

Such a great young man is one of signs next to road... We just should follow him !!!

[@MidinVal]

Really awesome that his girlfriends family has given him a place to stay, very classy.

[@kungfudenny577]

Much respect, I hope you make it.

[@mrclrpnt]

While some are whining about their lives and some others wasting theirs, here's this one man fighting to make a change. My family had a fair share of how it is to live in poverty too and still survive. It was our dreams that pushed us to be where we are at present. I extremely admire people like you. Kudos!

[@jacquelinerogers9617]

No one should ever be homeless well done to that lad 👏

[@mrsdbzfanforever]

This young man deserves to have all his hopes and dreams come true, and I know that with his work ethic he will make those dreams of his into reality .^.^.

[@semi5559523]

I've been homeless before it wasn't for no 12 years but it humbled me a lot and I think everyone needs to go through being homeless at least a week in their lifetime

[@mcjerkface8755]

i wish i was that motivated, respect.

[@henriettapanlilio9003]

goodlooking!! His face exudes confidence!!

[@traceyowenhughes9223]

CONGRATS..YOU ARE A WINNER

[@DavJK36]

respect to his girlfriend and her family for supporting him.

[@camperjdcamperdreborn7160]

I hope this guy is still a success story

[@ohhhiyarea8872]

2022 & just hearing about this & seeing this peer will to thrive to be better

[@MissJ_musiclife]

oh wow... this made me cry

[@cheyjuicy]

Just seeing this… Inspirational. My eyes are sweating. I wonder where he is now

[@ludovicdumont8225]

'Murica !!! Where a motivated (and very good) student can also be homeless ! This country is more and more wonderful days after days.

[@ermal234]

the fact that he cried means he is weak. a man that never gives up is a fucking fighter

[@Shifang]

Awesome! Here's hoping he ends up doing something good with his life. Homelessness is a hard cycle to break and doing that well in school despite that is even harder.

[@lidevries493]

God bless hem

[@robgsunrisechaser5106]

Great story and going to be a NOLE!

[@YTfancol]

Awesome. Congrats !!

[@WillBlindYouWithLight]

Wow Way to go bro Yes This is how you do it

[@TanapongPonghanat]

เป็นแรงบันดาลใจ ให้เด็กไทยหลายคนเลยครับ

[@bobkop1890]

he might have nothing but he has something we most dont have and that is TRUE LOVE

[@lalacreambaby]

Woo ow motivation bro Congratulation 🙏 God Bless xo

[@Gluvich]

one in a million

[@alwaysasn]

This would have been nicer if ABC could have done something to help this guy out financially!

[@serenaiona5227]

NEVER GIVE UP.

[@MiRaje8086]

May Allah guide him and grant him patience. Ameen

[@farah7284]

Ameen

[@CamzeeHD]

MiRaje8086 And fly into buildings. Ameen

[@TANIKOPRODUCTIONS]

MiRaje8086 Allah doesn't exist.

[@theodoreroosevelt9665]

TANIKOPRODUCTIONS In your opinion. I fucking hate all the people trying to force their atheist ideas upon people who believe in something.

[@TANIKOPRODUCTIONS]

I am not forcing anything on any one, I jus gave a reply to comment, there goes my free speech.

[@davidamayaperez6522]

amazing

[@user-st9wn5mu6n]

Bro this guy is a Professional Civil Engineer now, that's crazyy

[@eToroThai]

Thumb up, bro!

[@lalacreambaby]

👍😥💐 Big Congratulation

[@robzchannel2756]

He's one of the lucky ones

[@RandallRedman]

One more thing - Kid you have style. A great accounting Grade on Peachtree Accounting. Whether or not it's now or in Heaven for me. brings back me to know that even if I'm not at a Computer. I have what it takes.

[@wenfuli906]

Everyone have to learn from he .

[@good2btheking]

How is this even permissible in a country like America? We should not celebrate him, we should be damn concerned because this should not happen to anyone in America.

[@T3n50r]

This should not happen to anyone, but I get your point. America definitely have the means to stop shit like this from happening and help its citizens out. They ended up on the street because his mother got cancer? Fucking ridiculous... It's about time to wake up and go against the oligarchy you live in. You, the citizens, are in power to make that change. Imagine what would happen if several millions just stopped working at a certain date for a day just to show that they should listen to you. They'd be forced to make a change at that point. The situation with this kid could easily be you in, someone in your family or you close circuit of friends in just a few years if you/they should be unfortunate enough to get a life threatening disease you'd need serious medication to battle...

[@satakedynasty316]

Because Americans don't give a damn about each other. They just help people in other countries so they can try to make themselves look good to the rest of the world. Meanwhile they insult the homeless begging for a little change in their own neighborhoods. And before you get up in arms about me talking shit, I can say whatever I please about the attention whoring masses that live in my country.

[@elibutton]

amazing story - I wonder how he's doing today at FSU

[@scott123892]

theyve always wanted to balme me and use me as a scapegoat no more ,doing the right thing should matter !!all this feel good bullshit what a lie !!i put myself on th line for these kids as ive done in my own life for others because i have a heart god bless kay saylor my soulmate and my hero!!!

[@SPENGLER2]

great story of his strength. but was I the only one that felt the memory of the story was ruined by "on the back of his baseball caps" and then they show the brim? um ...

[@jake12step]

I love that he's wearing a quidditch t shirt.

[@SawDog191]

the best part about dating him is his girlfriend can just drop him off anywhere...

[@ITrollKidz]

lol that made me laugh... Probably more then it should off.

[@good2btheking]

***** Should off? what does that even mean? its SHOULD HAVE. English is already quite fucked, please dont fuck it up further. Thank you

[@AirikeTV]

***** ^what a dick

[@ChrisWhiteUSN]

***** It's (it is), its(it possessive)... but keep heckling!

[@good2btheking]

Like i need your permission but if it makes you feel better than i am happy to oblige. Its my pleasure ;)

[@JC.and.Friends]

America got him there in the first place.

[@scott123892]

another note to this story,when i moved home from eastern kentucky university,i helped my brother,significantly with finances the kids did stuff with us ,it was great we were united and i loved being back with family but when grifins father thought i was out of money ,which i wasntlol!!id learned my lesson about him by then,he moved out and left me a plate of breakfast on the floor!!lol so i got another apt in st matthews louisville and was soon engaged to ms saylor .i then did a cristian thing even though griffins dad did this he had decided that way side was too much and when i offered that he stay at kays he moved in!!!imagine that! i did this hoping he would get a grip and because i really love my nephews.so..hiw about some help for uncle scott ?????

[@olitheballer]

If my parents saw this they would beat me up.

[@scott123892]

this is his uncle scott furlong from louisville im very proud of my nephew ,but the homeless issues were caused by his fathers gambling addictions and by his fathers using others to get his way .i made the decisions and got those boys and my brother out of wayside they lived with my fiance ms kay saylor and me in hikes point louisville until my mother came to pick them up and take them to florida .this was at my serious urging .his father also owned a house that was paid for !! all they had to do was live there and go to school!!we lost the family home to a bookie !!another loss resulting from griffins fathers gambling which was an issue long before his wife kathy became ill.i love my family but griffins father is a drama queen .i will tell my story as i am truly homeless now and at the salvation army .anyone wishing to contact me can do so at my website on you tube music look up kays song !!shes the hero here!!!!god bless you griffin .dont forget uncle scott he really loves you!!

[@theurbanwolf298]

I am a homeless student and my dad says “some one out there is doing it, work extra hard at” he lives in a 3bedroom house with my mome.

[@vaneshapatel8320]

Soooo where is his dad now? if he's living at his GFs place... I have questions!!

[@juanmanuelrochaurbina5885]

this is what makes America great, (I'm not American by the way)

[@diaslamure6048]

JUAN MANUEL ROCHA URBINA Lmao!!!

[@hpotterfrk]

Is nobody going to mention his awesome Forida State Quidditch shirt??

[@LemurianLepidopteran]

What is a Velociraptorian??

[@XenogearsForever]

Of course this story is covered in such "importance". I knew plenty of single mothers that had nothing, graduating at the top of their classes. If it was someone of black, brown, or yellow skin color, this wouldn't even hit the news whatsoever. America is such a brainwashed "sheeple" land. It's so easy to see through the illusions at this point. I agree with everyone that doesn't buy into this garbage. People are starving on the very streets of our country, but hey that's not worth fixing or covering on the news. Bless Canada, a much better country with less corruption and mental stupidity.

[@SaskoJakimov]

WHO THE FU*K CAN DISLIKE THIS !?

[@rg0057]

This is a bit like those Undercover Boss shows... It is better, because something real happened here. But nevertheless, it's papering over a problem, which is that in a civilized country, nobody should ever be homeless. No person deserves homelessness. If you provide people a basic launchpad, you give all of them (not just the exceptional ones) the ability to reach their potential.

[@rebeccat4406]

Yes I believe he's as intelligent as Mark Suckenberg. Seriously.

[@yhairmartinez3932]

Who else thought they were gonna give um money or something 😂

[@resurrectionfleet1690]

Proof that poverty is no excuse to access education. Public schools are FREE.

[@rustincohle2135]

Yea, cuz all public schools are equal. You are an ignorant fool.

[@AR-or3td]

Sometimes it makes me feel sad about that good people like him get such a horrible life, and someone like me who is a total fucking bitch sometimes gets a great life. Smh I don't understand🤔😕

[@chloweful]

He should have been put into foster care. Homeless for 12 yrs? what in the fuck :S

[@emsingh1996]

I know people who have been in foster care, they said the abusive home they left felt safer than the foster home they where placed in. Foster care is not the best place for most kids. We can't say he would have come out as well as he did had he been placed. I'm just happy for him doing so well for himself. I do question what is up with the dad that they where technically homeless for so long. I would think they would have qualified for government housing, food stamps etc,

[@BLAZEIT-sz1ix]

IM AFRICAN STONG G

[@TopherTommy]

*My Dad and I. Just sayin...

[@pureselfdefense206]

at 15 u can get a job

[@rebeccat4406]

I apologize. Mark Zuckenberg is his name.

[@THINCOVER]

"America strong"?...... fuck sake.

[@Carlitosway211]

'Murica!

[@stonewall97]

Awesome. Kick @ss and take names. Lesson to all men. If you are smart and successful you will have your choice of hot trophy wives. :) Heck yeah. :)

[@DavidDouglasJr]

Think you're the smartest kid in the room in high school!? Just wait till you go to Florida State! ಠ_ಠ

[@telsa418]

you just missed this whole point of this video.

[@kennethfurlong8922]

another liar he was never homeless im his uncle who kept him off the streets yes they were never homeless diane sawyer im from louisville im truly homless i have a bone to pick with you daine

[@natexu5205]

Love the story, but "America Strong" is a terrible slogan. We get it, your proud of him being an American, but homelessness isnt about nationality. Homelessness is all over the world. The slogan makes it too nationalistic.

[@soronefabrik1]

lol that ''AMERICAN STRONG'' slogan at the end... great way to diminish his strong soul filtering him through the 'murican flag. he did it all by HIMSELF, america did not help him at all. correct me if im wrong

[@trevortoka7394]

There are alot more better story than this, why pick him?

[@jamestodd2650]

american news is so cringe worthy. america strong!!! hahahaha