ST. LOUIS — At 38-years-old, St. Louis native Koran Bolden threw out the first pitch at a St. Louis Cardinals game against the Chicago Cubs, an experience his 8-year-old self probably wouldn't believe.
"The one word that I would tell my younger self, to know that it's going to be OK, is 'breathe.' I have anxiety from losing my brother to gun violence," Bolden said.
Growing up without a father, he shared a close bond with his brother Anthony Bolden, who lost his life 30 years ago when he was just 22.
"I didn't get a chance to grieve, to be honest. I went to a therapist. My mom made me go to a therapist, and I didn't want to talk at all. So the one thing that I found out in therapy now is that your therapist can only help you to the amount that you're vulnerable to them," Bolden said.
Bolden went through 16 sessions of therapy that he said changed his life. He is now a motivational speaker and the president and CEO of Bold Moves, an organization that helps students who live with similar life circumstances.
"A lot of students that I work with, they come from underserved communities. What better way than to have a facility here where we can work with students on their trauma and also work on their amazing futures," Bolden said.
He connects students with mental health resources and teaches about entrepreneurship with special projects and creating business plans. He opened the Bold Moves office in Ballpark Village and also got the attention of the the Cardinals organization.
"(I) ended up getting a phone call from the Cardinals. They heard about the great work that we're doing in the community and said, 'Hey we would love to be able to give you 2,000 Cardinals tickets to the next game for free to give out at the end of your speeches' and I'm like, 'Wow! What? Me? Are you sure you're picking me?'" he said.
Bolden handed out tickets to students, educators and people who've been affected by gun violence. They all watched his first pitch before enjoying Saturday's game.
"It feels great to be acknowledged, because I was a youth that was not acknowledged. I was pushed away and I was shunned away.
"To be out on the field today representing for the youth out there and the millennials, (it's a) pretty good feeling," Bolden said.
Bolden's organization focuses on students between the ages of 12 and 18. He currently has eight students in the Bold Moves program, with a goal of reaching 150.
For more information, visit the Bold Moves website.