From his earliest recollection, Keith O'Neal wrestled with his weight. He knew what it was to face ridicule and rejection everywhere he went.
He received admonitions daily from family and friends to watch his diet, and get his appetite under control, or suffer the consequences. And suffer he did.
Keith knows what it is like to be teased everywhere he went. He was told he would never succeed at playing the trumpet "...because his lips were to fat" but that only made him more determined than ever to prove them all wrong.
He often recalls hoping for his lips to stop growing, but as he says, "I should have hoped that the rest of me to stop growing too."
Keith let the critics get to him. Instead of watching his diet, he continued to eat until he was unbelievably obese. Food became his drug of choice. He wanted more than anything to play the trumpet, but his "lips were too fat" and he had to fight daily to not give up.
Everyday he practiced on the horn, one given to him by his MOM with the help of Al Avery, a man who had befriended him and his family. As he continued to practice everyone in his family complained. The noise was driving them crazy and besides "You can't learn to play that thing with lips that fat," they said.
His answer was, "Yes I can!"
Today Keith O'Neal is an accomplished musician, respected by fellow musicians. He is an accomplished member of the profession and performs on stage and in high school and college auditoriums all over the United States and the world.
Keith says, "My favorite audience is grades K-12. I can share my success story of losing half my size as well as winning the battle on the trumpet. Nothing is as thrilling as investing into the potential of students who battle with obesity, learning disabilities, family problems, low self esteem, and other student struggles. I want to look into the hearts of students who want to succeed and declare, Yes you can!"
