A little boy who had a big impact on residents in Dawson County is to be honored with his own intersection.
Kenneth Stewart III, 12, who died March 13, 2013 after a five-year battle with brain cancer, will have the intersection of Highway 53 and Perimeter Road renamed for him.
The ceremony takes place tomorrow, June 12, at 2 p.m. at the intersection.
House Rep. Kevin Tanner drafted a resolution earlier this year to rename the intersection, a measure adopted by the Georgia House and Senate.
The young man was an inspiration to our community and to other young people, Tanner said. He showed us the
importance of living life to the fullest.
Nicknamed Soldier Boy because of his fighting spirit and his desire to join the Army, Stewart was appointed Lieutenant
Colonel Aid-de-Camp to Gov. Nathan Deals staff last year.
Anna Miles, Stewarts mother, was overwhelmed at the news.
Im so grateful and thankful, she said. If Kenny were here, hed say, Thats cool. But then, hed say, Dont start crying, Mom.
Miles said that even at the height of her sons illness, Kenneth continued to do little things for her and others.
He was so sick, but that didnt keep him from getting up and starting my car for me, she said.
He did so many small, kind things for people. ... He scattered kind deeds throughout the county, which grew and multiplied.
Miles shared a recent story of how Kenny affected one mans life. I got a call from someone who told me he gave his life to Christ last Sunday because of Kenneth, she said. He met a lot of people at the gym when I was a trainer there, and I guess he talked to Kenneth. Can you imagine a little boy affecting a grown mans entire life?
Kenneth was a constant reminder of how wonderful life can be even in the midst of bad moments . . . and when people are sitting at that red light at the intersection, and theyve had a bad day, maybe theyll think of Kenneth.
One of the things that helped give Kenneth strength was his family and especially his little brother, Alex, 8.
There were days when Kenneth didnt want to be around anyone except Alex, Miles said with a grin. They played X-box, and well, he could boss Alex around.
Miles earlier this year lost her mother, Brenda Scott, 56, to cancer.
My mom raised Alex while I was in treatment with Kenneth, and she was the other set of mothers hands, Miles said, her voice breaking.
She was diagnosed with stage four uterine cancer in January and it spread to her lungs, kidneys
and her liver. She died in March, just one year after Kenneth. She was all I had left.
But her sons legacy lives on.
Jason Womack is a farm manager for comedian and Atlanta native Jeff Foxworthy. One of Stewarts dreams to go deer hunting was fulfilled by Foxworthy and the CURE for Childhood Cancer organization.
Kenneth was really a fighter, Womack said. He really showed us. He made us think about our lives and how fortunate we are to be healthy. When theres a terminally ill kid who acts like theres nothing wrong, it gives people like me strength, and I started counting my
blessings.
Once or twice each year, Womack said, Foxworthy invites a terminally child to his farm to fulfill a wish. Its something Jeff feels strongly about, he said. Hes on the board at Duke Research Hospital. Its a mission in his life to fulfill a kids dream.
And thanks to Foxworthy, Kenneths dream came true.
Kenneth got his deer, Womack said.
Kim Bennett is assistant principal at Robinson Elementary School where Kenneth attended. He taught me about being courageous and facing any challenge that comes my way with a smile and with resilience, she said. The students
who were in class with him learned empathy and compassion and what it was like to not give up and to persevere.