Kenny will inspire you with his storytelling ability, sense of humor,

and his strong faith – even in the face of lifelong adversity

Kenny Tedford was born with brain damage that left him with the intellectual ability of a 4th grader, deaf in both ears, legally blind in one eye, partial paralysis on his left side, and difficulty speaking until the age of ten — a remarkable combination of Helen Keller and Forrest Gump.

Mocked in school, Kenny could have easily been bitter with life, especially when teachers, counselors, and the Board of Education said he’d never pass the 3rd grade. But Kenny proved them wrong by graduating high school, attending Gallaudet University for the Deaf in Washington, D.C., earning a B.A. in Theater from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN., and finally a Master’s Degree in Storytelling from East Tennessee State University. 

Along the way, Kenny survived cancer, heart attacks, breaking his neck, family troubles, and heartbreak. But none of his hardships stopped him from living his dreams as a storyteller. Kenny’s life is a unique combination of joy and heartbreak, laughter and tears, failure and accomplishment, friendship, faith, and peace. And grace.