Christian Lunsford, a fifteen-year old-high school student living in Oklahoma, really wanted to go to band camp. His father—who has played a minimal role in his life—gave him $250 toward the expenses of the camp. Unfortunately, Lunsford learned, his father likely stole that money from elderly Tona Herndon as she visited her recently deceased husband’s grave. See the Blaze story for details.

In a CBS interview, Lunsford said that, reflecting on his father’s life of crime, he sometimes feels “really low” and wonders, “Is that going to be me? Am I going to end up like that?”

Clearly he isn’t. Lunsford visited Herndon and returned the money—which she graciously accepted and then gifted to him to spend on band camp.

Lunsford said, “You’re not who your parents are. . . . Even if they do raise you, you can become whomever you want to be.”

Lunsford’s comments and actions provide a beautiful illustration of the fact that people do have free will and that they largely control their own lives. Kudos to him for making things right with Herndon—and for setting a great example for others.

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