By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A man who has overcome a number of obstacles and had “a very rough go in life” was surprised with a new vehicle on Monday by members at a local gym.

Craig and Jessica Funk own Freedom Fitness and Martial Arts off Old US-23 and Spencer Road in Brighton Township. Jessica Funk says their members recently pooled money to purchase a vehicle for 26-year-old Caleb Ketchum, who is said to have been working very hard lately. She told WHMI Caleb had a very hard time growing up as the family didn’t have money, his real father "wasn’t a good person by any means," he was overweight and got picked on and bullied. Funk says Caleb got into drugs and drinking and was not living a very healthy life and got very overweight. She says he then tragically lost his stepdad in a car accident in 2019.

Funk says there was an incident at a past job where Caleb worked and he was stabbed, which led him to her husband as they do self-defense and martial arts training. Since Caleb started training, Funk says he is completely off drugs, has lost 100 pounds and just this year ranked up and received his purple belt in jujitsu. He has also competed in several tournaments this summer and received medals in every one.

Funk says his most recent biggest accomplishment was landing a job at the Livingston Educational Service Agency as a bus aid helping special needs children. She says their members have been helping him out and driving him to work and training and believes he had been using his stepdad’s truck up until the accident and then just couldn’t afford a vehicle. Funk says Caleb is always training and is one of the most welcoming people at the gym – which is just the energy he puts off. She says when needed something, everyone was basically tripping over themselves to help him and their members pulled together and raised money for the vehicle, which was presented to him at the gym Monday.

Funk says they recorded it on video and it was amazing to see. She says Caleb can be heard on the video saying “no one has ever been this nice to me.” She says when it comes to the culture at the gym, it's people who don’t quite fit in anywhere else but have found their community and family at the gym. Funk says Caleeb found a bunch of other people just like him and he’s really come a long way and changed his life. She added that Caleb is also a great big brother to his sister who has had the same rough life and they have the best relationship.

Caleb was clearly surprised and choked up, hugging his mom and surrounded by his gym family when the car was presented. Funk says it just shows there are acts of kindness in the community but feels more of that is needed when it comes to helping people and giving people a break while inspiring and motivating each other to be the best versions of ourselves.