Steve Harvey, a comedian and TV host, has a real story of going from poor to rich that not many people know about.
He is now seen as one of the most important people in America, but not many people know about the hard journey he had to take to get to the top. He had to fight for his dreams and go through some tough times on his way to the top.
Steve Harvey was born in West Virginia to a coal worker. As a child, he didn’t have much. When he finally decided to start a career, he had to work a series of jobs, like being a mailman, a carpet cleaner, and even a boxer, to pay for it.
After he got divorced from his first wife, he sent the money he made from stand-up comedy to his kids. This left him with almost no money. He ended up being homeless, which was a bad thing.
Steve Harvey then spent three years living in his car. He used a cooler as a homemade fridge and took showers at gas stations and swimming pools.
“One or two jobs fell through, and all of a sudden I had nowhere to live…I couldn’t go anywhere…It was so terrible… You can really only do this for a week. This had been going on for three years!” the comic once told PEOPLE.
He spent most of the 1980s trying to make a name for himself. In 1990, when he made it to the final of the “Johnnie Walker National Comedy Search,” he finally got his big break. Soon after that, he started hosting the late-night TV show “Showtime at the Apollo.”
Harvey had four children from his first two marriages, and when he married Marjorie Bridges for the third time, he became a father of seven.
He took in Marjorie’s kids and became part of a big family, which couldn’t have been easy. But Harvey had no idea how important he was to the kids he took in.
Harvey’s seven children went on his show to give him a special birthday surprise. Each of them talked about their best memory with their dad, but it was Harvey’s stepson Jason who made him cry.
“You took my mother,” Jason said. “But you got much more out of that. You told me your last name, which is just crazy.
“You know, my father did everything he could, but he wasn’t there. And you helped me by doing that.
“If you only knew how much I really care about you… I want you to know that right now. Dad, there’s no one better than you. You it.”
Harvey wiped his tears away while he held his head in his hands. He seemed both shocked and encouraged by what Jason said. As the camera moved around the crowd, no one was able to keep a dry eye.
After Steve’s children told him about their favorite memories of him, Steve’s wife spoke about how much she loved him.
“I appreciate the kind of man you are and the good model you set for our kids… I’m glad you love me, that you love my kids like they’re yours, and that you treat my parents like they’re yours. Nothing else.”
After his family had said their goodbyes, Steve found it hard to speak through his tears.
“I found them 4 full-time jobs. “When I’m done, I want you all to remember that someone cared more about you than about themselves,” he said after taking a moment to calm down.
“I will fight for your honor until the day I die, because I love you all. I’ve never had a better time than this. I’m so happy to be your dad.”
Watch the touching honors in the video below, and don’t forget to show your friends and family this touching moment.