Sexy Brothaman Contest for A Love of My Own

Wanda Gardner's essay on runner-up Maurice Gardner

When life has dealt you a hand that leaves a little bit to be desired, you wish all you had to do were cry out "spadeless hands go back" but in reality, we just deal.

My nephew has endured pain that no one should ever have to endure; the life of his five-year-old brother and his grandfather, my dad, were abruptly taken from us all within a couple of years of each other and ow his other grandfather, my stepfather, has been diagnosed with cancer. He has had to maintain excellent academics and chooses to maintain excellence in athletics while bearing all of this pain. As we all well know, it is painful enough just being a black man in this world aside of unexpected and unforseen personal tragedies.

When you ask Maurice what he wants for his birthday or Christmas, his humble and sincere reply is always "nothing really", so for someone who asks for nothing should receive something. Not a day goes by that he doesn't shed a tear for his only brother and grandfather; I think this is why he deserves to be nominated.