Who do you need to show up for? Les Thomas Sr. had a challenging childhood and grew up without a blueprint for a good father and husband. He got into some trouble—but his mother always believed in his potential over his problems. Watch his moving TEDx talk.

Les Thomas Sr. gets chills every time he recalls his lightbulb moment, more than 7,400 miles away from home, serving at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait in October 2006. He had just finished rapping an original song, “Growing Pains,” for 500 military peers at an “American Idol”-type talent show.