Introducing Reginald “Pal” W. by Biancka Lee

This profile essay was written in Spring 2014.



Reggie W. is a gentle and understanding person; he is a well- grounded man, who is very confident, even more so respectful, very direct, and someone who has many life experiences. I would say he is around 6’1, has brown eyes, and a beard. Normally he has on a button up or collared shirt, with a sweater over it, and is a person who always wears sneakers. Ever since I’ve gotten to know him, he and myself share many similarities, such as if we were both to get tattoos we would get the St. Louis Cardinals Red Bird logo. We both also attended Lincoln University, located in Jefferson City, Missouri. If we were to become school teachers we would love to teach History. The most amazing thing of all is my father’s name is also Reginald. Reggie and I have a lot in common and never run out of things to talk about. Let’s meet him.



Reginald W. also known as “Pal” was born and raised here in St. Louis, Mo. He is the second oldest of seven children. He graduated from Sumner High School in 1977. He also attended Lincoln University. He had his first major job at the age of nineteen, working for the railroad company. Then as the years progressed he began driving trucks. That then became his passion. He loved the lifestyle he got to live. Traveling, seeing the world, meeting new people, the stays at the hotels. Reggie said, “that was the life for someone who was in their twenties.” That life led him to forty-eight continental states, for example Huston Texas, New York, Atlanta, and even Georgia. Driving trucks was something that he loved and enjoyed doing. That was his adventure. After twelve years of driving trucks things started to do downhill for Reggie, to where he could no longer drive trucks. That then led him into depression, and had him lost for a really long time. It took him a while to find himself, but he did, he came back to reality.

Now Reggie is up in age and he knew he couldn’t just sit and let his life pass him by. He then sat back and asked himself, what’s next? Where do I go from here? Suddenly he came up with the idea of going back to school. There were always people rooting for him. His support system was the best one that he could ever ask for. His brother Jonathan, and other siblings stood by his side, as well as his children, and last but not least his significant other, his spouse, his wife of soon-to-be two years.

Everyone he knew thought it was a good idea to go back to school; it would give him something to do as well as getting something out of it at the end, which will be an education and a degree. He liked the idea of that as well. He thought that it would be a good idea because the first time around he did not apply himself as well as he wanted, and like he should have. He partied more than studying, and took college for a joke. Reggie stated, “I know I could have did way better than what I did. I just didn’t apply myself.”

Finally, he took charge and took the next step and enrolled in college at Forest Park. “My college years G.P.A is the highest it’s ever been in all of my school years”, and that’s a 3.5 he is still maintaining as of today. This year (2014) will be his second year attending Forest Park. Reggie is going to school to obtain an Associate degree and then a Master’s degree in Human Service. I recall Reggie saying something about giving back to the community. Given the fact that he has lived to see certain things and do certain things, he can speak on the things that he know about; him having so much wisdom he can give you advice about anything and if you listen he would be such a good help. As of today he is doing just fine still going to school and is happy and comfortable with that. The key is never to give up and always strive for the best. Always have the attitude that no one or nothing could subdue you, and see how far you get. Having that attitude, nothing can stop you.