In this raw and deeply personal episode of Liddle Did I Know, David pulls back the curtain on what it was like to grow up between two very different worlds—one shaped by the rough edges of Cohoes’ West End Park, and the other softened by the safety of church programs like Stockade.

💡 Highlights from this episode:

• Life in West End Park, where toughness was demanded and softness was punished.
• The struggles of being a scrawny kid with glasses, health challenges, and no interest in sports or fighting.
• The pain of being mocked, labeled, and even pushed into fights he didn’t want.
• The loyalty of Gordon and Tony Francesconi—two rare friends who offered protection and belonging.
• The validation of adults like Ms. Kistler, a music teacher, and Dr. Myresko, a speech therapist and poet, who recognized David’s artistic soul.
• The contrast between neighborhood cruelty and the unexpected refuge of church life, where the pressure to perform toughness seemed to lift.
• How Stockade and Sunday services became places where David didn’t feel “less than”—where showing up as himself was enough.

✨ Takeaway: This episode captures the tension of growing up in a place where masculinity was measured in fists and insults—but finding small oases of acceptance in music, mentorship, and faith. It’s about resilience, the rare kindness of teachers, and the relief of belonging, even if only for a short while each week.

Background Music: A Turn for the Worse by Kevin Macleod Projects — Kevin Macleod