Steve Harvey pays for Disney Dreamer teen’s college tuition

On his talk show, Steve Harvey surprised William Williams, a 16-year-old boy born with albinism who gave a powerful speech at the Disney Dreamers Academy.

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Steve Harvey and Walt Disney World teamed up with Essence Magazine every sprint for a four-day Disney Dreamers Academy in which one hundred young people are given the chance to make their greatest dreams come true.

One Dreamer in particular, William Williams, a 16-year-old who was born with albinism that left him legally blind, caught Harvey’s attention. Because of the way he looked, Williams was bullied starting at age five. What’s more, his single mother, raising five children, was financially strapped, and sometimes they would go without electricity or hot water. He became so depressed that, at one point, he even tried to take his own life.

Still, Williams worked hard to get into the Youth Scholars Program and found his love of poetry by the time he was in fourth grade. During the Disney Dreamers Academy’s commencement ceremony, Williams gave a touching performance that touched not only the audience but also Harvey.

Harvey invited Williams and his mother to Chicago in order to tape an episode of his show. Harvey had originally planned to surprise them with $10,000 toward his college education, but when he heard that Williams and his mother had recently lost their home, Harvey decided on the spot to give the money to Williams’ mother to use toward getting a stable home.

As for schooling, Harvey told Williams that he would pay for his college education, with money from the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation.

The episode with Williams will air during the week of April 24, 2017.

 

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