We can’t control what happens to us throughout our lives. The only thing we can control is how we react to the obstacles and challenges that life presents us each day.
Over the years, three siblings from New York have faced extraordinarily painful obstacles. While those challenges would make most crumble, these siblings have used those challenges to grow stronger. Now, they are using that strength to honor their heroic father in the best way they can.
Pitching to The Sharks
Normally, when entrepreneurs and inventors are selected to present their product on ABC’s Shark Tank, they are expected to present a product, service, or business that they created themselves. However, in a recent, emotional episode of Shark Tank, three siblings from Long Island, New York were open about the fact that they didn’t create the product that they were pitching.
The Cup Board Pro
During the Shark Tank episode, which aired on October 21, 2018, Kaley, Christian, and Keira Young presented their product, the Cup Board Pro. During their pitch, however, the three siblings explained that the cutting board had actually been created by their father, Keith Young.
The Firehouse Chef
Keith had worked as a New York City firefighter and was passionate about food and cooking for both his family and fellow firefighters. Over the years, he wrote a cookbook, Cooking with the Firehouse Chef, and even went on to become a two-time winner of The Food Network’s Chopped. According to 25-year-old Kaley, her dad created the Cup Board Pro back in 2010 when she was in high school.
The Cup Board Pro
The board, which is made of bamboo, features an attachable tray to catch food scraps. Keith also designed the cutting board to include rubber feet that keep the board from moving around. The rubber feet also create a slight tilt to the board so juices can run along strategically places grooves in the board into the tray.
An Easy Choice
In May of 2011, however, Keith’s wife, Beth King, was diagnosed with breast cancer just as Keith received the first prototypes of the Cup Board Pro. Keith, who his children will attest was a loving an devoted husband and father, didn’t think twice about putting his new business on hold. His main focus at the time was taking care of his family and helping his soulmate any way he could.
Tragedy Strikes The Family
“My mom was the love of our dad’s life, high school sweethearts with love letters dating back to 1980. Our dad put everything on hold to fight our moms fight with her,” the couple’s children explained. Beth ultimately lost her hard-fought battle with stage four breast cancer on August 22, 2012, at just 47 years old.
Family Comes First
At the time, Keith decided it wasn’t the right time to resume working on the Cup Board Pro. As a single dad, he devoted himself to his kids, who were just 9, 15, and 19 years old at the time. Kaley, who was supposed to be starting her second year of college at the Fashion Institute of Technology, also decided to leave school to help her dad with her siblings as well as run her mother’s Pilates and dance studios.
Continuing Beth’s Legacy
“I was so lost after losing my best friend. I returned to school a few days later but it wasn’t the right time for me to be there. I needed the time to grieve. I decided to leave school to continue her legacy with Hot Pilates Secret and her Dance Barn studio and to help my dad raise my 9-year-old sister and 15-year-old brother,” Kaley said.
A Chopped Champ
Rather than fall apart after Beth’s passing, the family came together and supported each other. When Keith was asked to compete on Chopped shortly after his wife passed away, he didn’t think he was ready. However, with his kids’ encouragement, he agreed to compete and went on to become a two-time winner. After that, Keith decided it was time to resume work on his cutting board business.
A Devastating Diagnosis
Tragically, however, his dream was derailed yet again in 2015. 14 years prior, Keith and the rest of his firehouse had worked tirelessly at Ground Zero in the cleanup efforts after the September 11th attacks. In 2015, just as Keith received the first shipment of the Cup Board Pro, he was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, which was caused by working among all the toxic debris at Ground Zero.
A Heroic Battle
“When our dad told us that he had cancer, we all lost it. How could this happen? Why is this happening? Is all questions that have been running through our minds. The Cup Board Pro was once again put on hold as our dad’s cancer progressed, breaking through his bones, leaving him completely handicapped,” his kids explained. Keith fought as hard as he could and never gave up hope that he would recover. Tragically, however, Keith lost his battle with cancer and passed away on March 17, 2018.
An Unbreakable Foundation
While most would fall apart after two devastating losses, Kaley, Christian, and Keira came together yet again thanks to the incredible foundation of love and strength that their parents gave them. “This life can be tough … I cry. I laugh. But there is so much love that my parents gave us and I just feel so lucky to call them mine. And now my parents are Angels reunited in heaven, watching over my beautiful siblings and I with every baby step we take each day,” Kaley said.
Big Responsibilities
Kaley, now 25 years old, is currently studying interior design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and has continued to own and run Hot Pilates Secret, the Pilates studio Beth created, since her mom passed away six years ago. In the wake of her dad’s passing, Kaley took on even more responsibility when she became the legal guardian of her now 15-year-old sister.
Honoring A Hero
In the months following Keith’s death, Kaley, Christian, and Keira started thinking about how they wanted to honor their dad. After thinking about how hard he worked on the Cup Board Pro, the three decided the best way to honor his legacy was by continuing his business and fulfill his dream. “It was our dad’s dream to have the Cup Board Pro in kitchens all over the world,” according to the business website. “We feel honored to be able to continue his legacy and to share a little bit of Keith Young and the Cup Board Pro with you all.”
A Life-Changing Trip to Los Angeles
After relaunching the business, the siblings were also invited to pitch their dad’s product on Shark Tank, which Keith also dreamed of doing. “My brother and my sister and I actually went [to the show’s LA studio] on the three-month anniversary of my dad passing away,” Kaley told the New York Post. “It also happened to be Father’s Day weekend. So the fact that we were there together — we felt really grateful to be following his dream on such a time. My dad would always say, ‘You have to continue to show up. Life gets hard, but you don’t quit. Just continue on the path of making each day the best day.’”
The Emotional Pitch
“It was his dream to pitch it on Shark Tank,” Kaley said during their pitch. “Unfortunately, he passed away before he had that chance, but we’re here today to continue his legacy and make that dream a reality. He put everything on hold to be at her side. On Aug. 22, 2012, God called our mom home, and our dad showed us what strength was in every moment he continued to show up for us, and in life in general. He was a true inspiration, like our mom.”
The Offer
The siblings sought $100,000 for 10 percent of the company. However, the Sharks were so blown away by the product, their story, and the siblings’ strength that they decided to do something they almost never do. “Your story is amazing,” Mark Cuban said. “Obviously, you have a million reasons to be proud. And your father will live on forever through each of you and this product. But rather than us fight it all out, we decided to work together.” The five Sharks each offered the Youngs $20,000, totaling $100,000, for 20 percent of the business.
A Surreal Moment
They went on to explain that any profits that they earn from their investment will go entirely to a charity for firemen battling illnesses after 9/11. After hearing that, the siblings happily accepted the deal. “It was surreal. It was really cool pitching with my two sisters. We knew we were all next to each other, giving each other the energy to pitch our dad’s product,” Christian, a student at SUNY New Paltz, told PEOPLE.
An Incredible Success
“My heart was bursting at that moment,” Kaley said. “I couldn’t think of a better thing for this product to do. It’s going to help so many current firemen who are sick with 9/11-related cancer. I’m really grateful for this opportunity to now have this product represent even more, and to have a big purpose behind it as well.” Just days after the episode aired on TV, The Cup Board Pro has completely sold out. Nearly 27,000 boards have been purchased and the unstoppable siblings have made more than $1 million in sales so far. “I hope that it inspires people to keep dreaming,” Kaley said. “And to remember how important family and friends are, and that love is really the most important thing at the end of the day.”
The Power of Choice
“All of our lives are so precious. We don’t get to choose when we get called home to heaven. We don’t get to choose what life situations we will have to go and grow through. But there are things that we do get choose in this life… the things that we can control, like who we love, how often we tell them how much we love them, what our jobs are, where we live, what we say, and how we choose to respond to our life journeys,” Kaley said after her father passed away. “I’ve learned that it’s okay to not always be okay. What I also am still learning is when you know that you are the one who has the choice over the things you can control, you are the one that holds your own power, you are the one steering the direction of your life each day with each step you take.”
Fallen 9/11 Firefighter’s Heartbroken Kids Make His Dream a Reality On Shark Tank is an article from: LifeDaily