'Non-existent' father, prayerful mom and faithful God: Derek Boateng's inspirational story

Derek Boateng told Dan Kwak Yeboah TV that growing up was difficult as his father was non-existent in his life.

He recounted that his poor mother sacrificed everything she had to ensure he and his two siblings felt comfortable.

The former Fulham midfielder said that despite the tireless efforts of his mother, life proved difficult which compelled him to assume a fatherly role at age 13.

Assuming the difficult role of a father to his two siblings meant that a young Boateng had to bring home anything he obtained from his hustle.

He however did not let the hustle put him off the path of God and righteousness as he continued to pray and seek God’s intervention in his life.

Whiles all this was ongoing, Boateng says, his father was having families with other women and not available in his life.

“My mom was everything. My dad was around but he had families with different women. He didn’t take care of us. It was really tough. I know where I’m coming from and I never forget where I was coming from because I know how it feels to sleep without food. All the same, I kept faither in God and trusted him because that’s all my mom thought us. My colleagues will tell you that in all my career I always had my Bible,” he said.

Derek Boateng revealed an experience that signalled the end of his troubles. In one of his usual training sessions, he had an encounter which made him realize that God was beginning to answer his prayers.

“When my blessing was coming I saw it. One time I went to the beach to train and along the line it started training at that particular place. The sun was shining but it was raining at where I was. That day, I realized by blessing was coming. I heard a voice asking me to pray and I looked up to God and told him, don’t let my hustle be in vain. That’s the only thing I said.

“When I came back home then things started working. I started seeing things differently and things begun to change. Whatever I got out there I had to bring it home. I was 13 years old and the pillar of the family. That’s the toughest thing ever. There’s nothing tougher than taking care of my mom and my brothers,” he said.

Boateng said he never veered off the right path committed his ways to the Lord when the success was being showered on him throughout his career.

In his first major pay as a player, Boateng said he used to put an accommodation for his mother and two siblings.

“My first signing on fee, I gave it to Mr Ansong and Sly to build a house for my mom. There was a time I came around and my bedroom wasn’t ready but my mother and brothers had a place to sleep. I’m really grateful to God and I always tell people that,” he said.

From Liberty Professionals, Derek Boateng toured the globe with his talent and played for clubs like Fulham, Dnipro, Getafe, among others.

For the Black Stars, Boateng was a member of Ghana’s golden generation and played twice at the World Cup in 2006 and in 2010.