Mom’s boyfriend tried to kill him with an electric heater in 1978 – but please sit down before you see him today

At just fourteen months old, Keith Edmonds’ life changed forever when a stranger pressed his face against an electric heater in a fit of rage. The burns destroyed half his face, and doctors doubted he would survive the night. But he did—and spent years in the Shriners Burn Institute enduring countless surgeries to rebuild what was lost.

His childhood was anything but gentle. After entering foster care and waiting to reunite with his mother, Keith learned his attacker received only ten years in prison. Children stared, some mocked, and by thirteen, he turned to alcohol to dull the pain—a struggle that continued into his twenties alongside depression and addiction.

On his 35th birthday in 2012, during a drinking binge, Keith decided to change his life. He committed to sobriety and began the long process of rebuilding himself from the inside out.

He found success in corporate sales, first at Dell, then at The Coca-Cola Company, earning top honors and respect for his authenticity. His scars spoke of resilience and earned him trust from people who rarely offered it.

In 2016, he founded the Keith Edmonds Foundation to support abused and neglected children. Programs like Backpacks of Love and Camp Confidence provide essentials, mentorship, and hope—offering not temporary aid but lasting support.

Educators and students alike describe his impact as deeply personal. His visible scars, paired with his honesty, inspire belief and transformation.

Keith says forgiveness doesn’t erase the pain—it frees the heart that carries it. Through his book Scars: Leaving Pain in the Past, and his life’s work, he proves that tragedy can become purpose, and pain can be turned into healing for others.