By Eva Liguori
Herald Intern
Bruce McCray has called Sanford home nearly all his life and has seen the town evolve from an agriculture community into the growing downtown area it is today. McCray shares how his experience growing up in the Sanford projects has impacted his life and fostered a passion for service and inspiring others as they navigate overcoming the challenges and struggles that have affected many lower class families, including his own.
Growing up McCray spent his childhood picking oranges in local groves, following in the footsteps of his mother who had picked oranges for a living since the third grade. Those early experiences of labor and hard work is what taught him the importance of discipline, he said.
“It was hard work,” McCray said. “But it made you mentally and physically tough.”
He carried those lessons onto the basketball court, where he used his passion to help shape his future. Through athletics, McCray earned a college scholarship and became the first person in his family to graduate from high school and college.
While McCray found opportunity through education and sports, his brothers faced a different reality. As the crack cocaine epidemic swept through communities across the country in the 1980s, Sanford was not immune. Both of his brothers passed away due to addiction and violence. His mother also died years later in a rehabilitation facility, a loss McCray said continues to weigh heavily on him.
“My goal was to get my family out of the projects and into a different environment,” McCray said. “But I never accomplished that, and I ended up preaching at their funerals.”
Despite those losses, McCray remains committed to Sanford and believes the city and its residents have a greater purpose. After a career as an educator in the Orange County Public Schools system, he continues to serve the community as a preacher at Carter Church.
Through his ministry, McCray encourages young people to avoid drugs and violence and pursue education and opportunity. He said his goal is to help the next generation overcome challenges and create better futures for themselves.
“I want to have an impact in their lives,” McCray said. “I want to be able to do something to help their situation.”
McCray has since written the book ‘The Ultimate Calling: From Basketball Star To Preacher’, in which he reflects on discovering his calling through faith and leadership.
McCray said his experiences growing up in Sanford and overcoming poverty continue to drive him. He hopes the book will not only share his personal story of perseverance but also his love for the town that shaped him.
