Shawn Grimm's story.

[wobycat]

Last night on ABC they showed a segment on Shawn Grimm an all Kentucky state football player who played for Johnson Central, KY, which caught my intrest because they traveled up to Wheelersburg to play a one time contest two years ago. If you did'nt get to see it I would sugggest you try to see an archive on the story on the internet somewhere, it will show you just how hard some young men and women live and struggle just to survive.

[hawkeyepierce]

I saw the program. It was fascinating and it was sad. Most people have no ideal to extent of the struggles of the Appalachian teen. Hopefully, with the new administration there will be a renew emphasis to bring much needed help to the region.

[jeepchopper]

Those people should be taken out on the street and shot for they treat their children and themselves. They say they are low on money but they have tobacco, and beer and dont foget pop, and candy. Give me a break. I've suffored in my life too and I quit tobacco because I couldnt afford it, and I have a job. The state should be down there and take control of that situation immeadialty.

[fbnut]

don't forget cellphones and laptops

[jeepchopper]

ah yes and custom ringtones, lol, but i bveleiev he deserves a custom ringtone. and dont forget underage drinking to clean out his kidneys

[Old School 2]

I told myself that I would not comment on this story, but I just can't help it.

Everyone needs to remember you only seen part of the story, for some reason journalist want to show the worst of the people and tend to senationalize their stories especially when reporting about Eastern Kentucky.

While I don't know Shawn personally, I do live in Johnson County, where Shawn is from, and I've known for a while that his home life was rough. I have been told by several people whom I trust, that Shawn did not have to sleep in his truck, that several people through out Johnson County offered to take him in and give him a home, but you didn't see that on the show.

Did any one see the segment at the end of the show, where they showed Shawn digging coal from the highwall on Route 23 to heat his house? I have been driving up and down Route 23 for nearly 25 years, and during that time I've only seen people digging coal once or twice, I ask about a dozen others who travel the same road and they said they have never seen anyone digging coal from the highway. I have however on several occasions seen people picking up coal that was spilled from a coal truck accident.

Does Eastern Kentucky have a drug and alcohol problem? Yes we do, were just like everyone else in the United States. Just once I would like to see a journalist come into this area and do a accurate report, and by that I mean show both the good and the bad and not just the bad and ugly areas of Eastern Kentucky.

[Boonedawg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ha9La-h ... re=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDdeKrxk ... re=channel

IMHO, the kid quit, he got out of his comfort zone and quit. He had the makings of being another Rudy, but he isn't.

[california kid]

very sad story hope he can turn things around an amazing athlete

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

I read on another Kentucky site that Grimm will be going to Union College and has a great support cast around him.

[Boonedawg]

I was wondering why Dianne Sawyer didn't pony up some of her millions to help this kid out.

[FarAwayFalcon]

I bet in southern ohio and eastern ky, there is almost one kid like this on every team. Sad story but people have to push themselves and make sacrificies if they truly want something better, he had a chance and didn't want it as bad as he said he did. If he is lucky enought to get another shot a college, he better make it happen, you don't get 3 chances like that in a lifetime.

[jeepchopper]

No the problem that i have isnt that they are poor or that we give them welfare or foodstamps. My problem is the filth that these people live in. Yes I agree that people have offered and that he probably is too proud, however when people at any level treat their kids to drunken nights and trash around their houses that is a health problem that the state should take care of. There is a reason why Robert Kennedy told people about this region 40 years ago. It was bad then and its worse now. Now one thing i will say and they did not say this about Johnson County. A couple of years ago Johnson Central High School wa voted as one of Americas top 100 schools. So poor or not they do somehting right for these kids down there. I do beleiev that not all of Johnson County is ike this but it is one of the poorest counties in the US for a reason.