Freddie Figgers’ extraordinary life story can be compared to one straight out of a Hollywood movie.
Nothing about his life can be said to be “normal.” He was abandoned near a dumpster as a newborn as his own mother didn’t want him and didn’t realize what a great future he was going to have.
Nathan and Betty Figgers adopted him and gave him love, support and a family which did wonders for him. “It’s amazing that you can meet people like that, and till this day, I have never met my biological parents,” Figgers said of his adoptive parents, according to an article on his website. “I have never had the interest.”
Figgers was always interested in the mechanics of electronic devices, and before he turned 10, he was disassembling and reassembling a 1989 computer given to him by his dad.
Posted by Freddie Figgers on Wednesday, January 15, 2014
And by 12, Figgers landed his first job as a computer technician, three years later, developed a cloud database in his own backyard and became his own boss.
He did not opt for a formal college education but instead decided to work and kept on developing and inventing. Before he turned 30, he became the owner of his own telecommunications company, Figgers Communications.
“He is now the founder and CEO of Figgers Wireless, a black owned telecommunications firm valued at over $62.3 million dollars, that you may have never heard of,” the caption of one of his YouTube videos read.
Figgers interested in the intersection of technology and healthcare and had started inventing useful devices to aid his adoptive father, who had Alzheimer’s from a very young age.
He used to put a two-way communication device and a GPS tracker in a pair of shoes his father wore, Figgers used to locate and talk to his dad at any time.
His company is creating devices that will help people with diabetes. “Diabetes is a major public health problem that is approaching epidemic proportions globally,” Figgers wrote on Facebook in August. “The prevalence of diabetes is rising at an alarming rate. Nationwide, 1 in 12 adults has diabetes, and type 2 diabetes has become a commonplace childhood disease as well.”
“For far too long, large diabetic medical supply corporations has made billions of dollars profiting from this horrible disease by taking advantage of consumers with outrageous cost. We could have easily sold our invention to any Medical supply company, but that would only be adding to the problem.”
He adds, “We have a solution that’s all in one and it remotely manages diabetics 24/7. But best of all affordability for all patients. WE PUT PEOPLE OVER PROFIT.”
He is also investing in education of others, and as a back-to-school initiative, he has donated 20 computers to Sarasota Military Academy. The Language Arts Department Chair, SMA-MAJ Sylvia Gillotte, saw him as not only a generous donor but an important role model.
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Posted by Freddie Figgers on Wednesday, June 26, 2019
“Abandoned in a dumpster as an infant, Freddie was adopted by a loving couple who encouraged and supported his fascination with computers at an early age,” she said, according to Patch. “Early tinkering nurtured a curiosity and love of technology that led to the creation of cloud computing services at age 15, and ultimately, to his development of four patents.”
She concluded, “He is an incredibly inspiring person for our cadets to have the opportunity to learn from, and we are grateful for this donation to our Academy.”
Every child must be given a chance to live, even if they are a result of a bad relationship or vice versa. You never know that the same child that you may want to abort or abandon now could possibly be the next President of the United States.