Former boxing champion Billy Graham has helped change the lives of many young Kiwis over the years and was yesterday recognised for his work in the Queens Birthday honours.
Graham founded the Naenae Boxing Academy and has used the power of sport as a tool throughout his career to help uplift and develop the lives of kids around the country.
His work with the Naenae acadamy has lead to the founding of the Billy Graham Youth Foundation which has taken the principles first used at the Naenae gym and used and then used to establish other gyms around the country.
He's been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours list.
Graham emphasised the need and importance for young people to have a voice and has strived to provide that in his gyms over the years.
"Kids want to be recognised, they want you to know who they are, and they want to have a voice. That's the big songs, everyone writes songs about it - I want my say - but when they get here, they get their say.
The results of Graham's work speaks volumes with numerous athletes going on to achieve great things outside of the ring.
Graham also says its the achievements outside of the ring that he cares about the most.
"A lot of the kids have stayed here long enough, and we've encouraged them to stay in school and some of those kids - we've had six now be head boys at their colleges around the Wellington area, all come out of our gym in Naenae. I'm more impressed with that than hearing your New Zealand title."
"We haven't got all the answers, but I climb into their boots, what I was like when I was younger, and I had more issues than most of the kids we've got here. And I've somehow come through - miracles do happen."
SHARE ME