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When you are doing something small, you might not see who it has an impact on. Unless they come forward and thank you. Two Grand View students wrote and delivered letters thanking one person in their life they feel they haven’t thanked enough. Both students had different reasons for delivering the letters. One was a star athlete who needed to be knocked off his high horse. The other was a theology student struggling with depression who needed her spirit lifted. What they had in common was time with modest mentors who changed their lives with the simplest interactions.
Keonte White and Coach Woodley

Coach Michael Woodley founded Grand View’s football program in fall 2008. With his leadership, the Vikings won the NAIA championship in 2012, finishing the season with a 14-0 record.
According to Keonte White (Sr.), a former wide-receiver and Academic All-American, Woodley’s impact on his life extends beyond athletic coaching.

“He is a one-of-a-kind man” White said. “Words really can’t explain the good he has done for me, not only on the field but off the field. I guess you could say he stepped in as a father figure to me.”

White came to Grand View from a Dallas, area where being tough is necessary for survival. Throughout his athletic career, White has had to work harder and be tougher than the rest to stand out due to his small stature. So when he arrived at Grand View University, he brought that attitude with him, thinking it was the best way to be taken seriously. But his behavior caused other athletes to regard him as selfish and arrogant.

It was Coach Woodley who stepped in to help. He saw that behind White’s seemingly cocky behavior was a young man with a good heart.

“He pulled me aside one day and was like, ‘You have a gift, you are very talented, but no one cares for a person who comes off as being cocky and selfish,” White said. “You have to change your attitude in order for the people in this locker room to appreciate you for the person you are.”

Other coaches throughout White’s career had approached his attitude with frustration. They yelled or cursed him out. Because Woodley approached him with respect, White took the conversation to heart. He said he wished someone would have approached him in that way earlier so that he could have corrected his behavior sooner.

“I was embarrassed, and I’ve told myself from that day forward I’m going to be a caring person,” White said. “I’m going to take myself off this pedestal. I’m not the best person since sliced bread. From that day forward, a new Keonte was born.”

Talking with White about his attitude was just the beginning of the kindness Woodley would show White throughout his tenure on the football team. White was struggling financially during his junior year and could not afford the gloves or cleats necessary to play in an upcoming football game with Drake University. He approached Woodley to explain that he could not afford the equipment needed to play that weekend.

“Don’t worry about it,” Woodley told White. “I’ll take care of it. You do your work in the classroom. I can take care of you.”

When game day approached, White found a brand new pair of cleats and a new pair of gloves at the bottom of his locker. He found Coach Woodley to thank him, but Woodley dismissed his own generosity and told White he deserved it because of his work on and off the field.

“I would do that for any of them,” Woodley said. “I don’t want them stressing out about over little things.

You’ve got to help them or you don’t care.”

Woodley has witnessed White’s transition first-hand, and White has previously expressed his gratitude to Woodley for the role he played in his transition. Yet, writing Woodley a letter was a more rewarding way to show his appreciation. Trying to package all his gratitude into one letter was a difficult task, but he felt it was a special and unique thing to do for his coach.

When the time came to give Woodley his letter, White told Woodley he would be conducting an interview for a class, but instead he surprised Woodley with his note. He looked on with a smile while Woodley read the words written to him.

“This letter just about brought me to tears, I’ll tell you that,” Woodley said to White. “Your work ethic is second to none, especially coming from where you came from. You’ve overcome so much, Keonte, to get to where you’re at and have that college degree, and you’ve been such a positive impact.”
Woodley said that he knew he had a good relationship with White, but receiving the letter endorses it and shows him that he has been treating the players right. White is attending Grand View for an additional semester and is no longer eligible to play for the Vikings, but Woodley said he will always look out for him. Recently White began an internship with the Iowa Energy because of a recommendation from Woodley. While White still walks with his head held high and a strong and steady voice, Woodley’s guidance helped him relax into the positive person he is today.

“I’m the person I can look in a mirror and smile at,” White said. “This is the person I can live with for the rest of my life.”

Karissa Davis and Kimberly Davis

From the time Karissa Davis was a child, she has had a strong relationship with her mother, Kimberly Davis.

“She’s done a lot for me, she’s always been my rock,” Karissa Davis said of her mother.

Davis recently found out that her mother made a large sacrifice and helped Davis pay for some of her first years in college, so she wanted to thank her mother for that sacrifice, and other things her mother has done for her from childhood to adulthood.

The letter was written on a small piece of paper to replace a similar letter she had written to her mother before she went to college, which Kimberly Davis kept in her wallet until it was stolen last year.

“When I called the police, I said ‘I don’t care about anything else, get me my note back!’” Kimberly Davis said. “Because that was the only thing of value in there.”

Kimberly Davis burst into laughter while reading a section of the letter Karissa had written about her obsession with The Lion King.

“My mom had to wash my Lion King underwear every day, otherwise I wouldn’t leave the house,” Karissa Davis said. “One time we were going to go pick grapes and I was stomping around the house saying ‘I want my Lion King underwear!’ so she had to do a quick load.”

While Kimberly Davis loves teasing Karissa Davis about the Lion King underwear story, other sacrifices were weightier. Kimberly Davis was an elementary teacher and she would sit in her car and grade papers every night while Karissa Davis attended swim practice.

As Kimberly Davis read the portion of the note where Karissa Davis thanked her mother for her dedication, tears welled up in her eyes, stopping just before they could spill onto her cheeks. For Kimberly Davis, going to all of Karissa Davis’s swim practices does not deserve extra recognition.

“It’s just what you do. I think that as a parent, one of my jobs was to ‘do one better’ and I had a fabulous mom, so that was a lot to live up to,” Kimberly Davis said. “So it’s nice to know that there are a lot of things I’ve done wrong and (Karissa) is not one of them. I’m really proud of the woman you have become.”

The two looked at each other for another few seconds before saying what they always say to show appreciation toward each other.

“I think you’re a great kid,” Kimberly Davis said affectionately

“I think you’re a great mom,” Karissa Davis responded.

Bailey Simpson and Angie Larson

Bailey Simpson (Jr.) is a theology student and peer minister at Grand View. In stark comparison to White, her voice is soft, yet her words are earnest. She listens carefully when people talk to her, slightly tilting her head and carefully considering the conversation. Although she is in a position to minister to and care for other students, Simpson still has her own emotional struggles.

“I’m going to get very vulnerable here,” Simpson said. “I struggle with depression and anxiety issues.”

Simpson decided to deliver her thank-you note to Angie Larson, who began working as the minister of care and outreach at Luther Memorial Church in September. Although she has only been on staff for a few months, her influence on the Student Ministries team has been felt for four years. Larson created the Peer Ministry Leadership program to students when she served as an interim pastor of Luther Memorial Church and had been contracted by Grand View University to administer the program each year. It was through the Peer Ministry program that Simpson and Larson began to get to know each other.  The first time Larson, a mother of four, sat down and talked to Simpson, it was 11 p.m. on a Thursday night.

“I kind of interjected myself into her life,” Larson said with a laugh.

Since that time, she has been available for Simpson anytime she needs to talk but also actively reaches out to

her to discuss any issues Simpson might be struggling with. Simpson returned the favor by delivering her thank-you letter to Larson in the sanctuary of the church.

“You are welcome,” Larson said in a long embrace with Simpson after reading her letter. “This is all I hope to do. I’m going to save this for a long time. I’ll bring it to your wedding.What a cool thing.”

Simpson sees that there are many students who are struggling, and Larson’s example is helping her to learn how to better help and make an impact on campus. Larson, who thinks of herself as a marginal person on campus, said she doesn’t do anything.

“It’s not counseling, it’s not sitting down with a psychotherapist and working through deep, dark stuff, it’s just everyday being there with people,” Larson said.

According to Larson Simpson is passionate about how “God-stuff,” works in the world and cares deeply for people. The only difference between Simpson’s skills and Larson’s skills, is Larson’s experience.

“As I care for you, you’ll learn some of that and care for others,” Larson said to Simpson. “You have these skills; you’re a naturally caring and compassionate person. It’s deep care.”

For Larson, being present and loving people in a Christ-filled way is what she hopes to do with her life. Simpson said Larson deserved a thank-you note because she knows that people don’t always know how the simple things impact people, which rang true when she gave Larson her letter.

“There’s a lot of times when you go ‘What the heck am I doing?’ or ‘Is what I’m doing even making any difference whatsoever?’ ‘Is it not enough?” Larson asked. “Maybe it is enough. Maybe it’s good.”

Although each story is different, they expressed that people should intentionally thank each other more often. It’s a vulnerable thing to do, but it is also a powerful action for both the giver and the receiver.

“I think a lot of people need to experience something like this to actually understand that the littlest things can help change someone,” White said.