A North Texas man has made it his mission to make his city the healthiest in the state and it was an incident from childhood that prompted him to do so. He's this week's KRLD Difference Maker.
Dr. Kenyon Godwin remembers exactly what made him want to be a chiropractor.
Kenyon grew up in Virginia in a single parent household where his mother worked a minimum wage job and had no health insurance.
"We were poor. I watched my mom walk a mile one-way to the store. She didn't have a car, she didn't drive so I knew she was exercising," Kenyon said. "She had a heart attack when I was 12 years old and because she didn't have health insurance, they were limited with what they were willing to do for her. That was the first time I remember wanting to be a doctor because I wanted to help her and people like her."
It was then that Kenyon knew he wanted to help people live a healthier lifestyle. He began educating people on how to live a healthier lifestyle all over Arlington.
Now his mission is to make Arlington the healthiest city in Texas.
"It is almost impossible to fulfill your dreams and your purpose if you're in poor health. When I made that declaration, Arlington was number 13 on the list of healthiest cities in Texas. If we are the American Dream city, we at least need to crack the Top 10!" Kenyon said. "But then I said, 'Why stop there? We can be number one!"
And so far it's working, one patient at a time. Arlington is now number 9 on the list of healthiest cities in Texas.
We're proud to call Dr. Kenyon Godwin this weeks KRLD Difference Maker.
"I just want to do the most good. I believe that my purpose in life that God's given me is to create a transformation in as many people as possible so people can use their God given gifts and potential to make a difference in this world. And its hard to do that without having the right health so I want to make everyday count and just try to teach and lead," Kenyon said.
You can visit Kenyon at his chiropractic office, Active Family Wellness Centers.
If you know someone making a difference in the community, send us an email at differencemaker@krld.com.
