Boxing teaches you to roll with the punches. Spirituality teaches you to keep the faith.

"We've been voluntarily doing this ourselves," says Rocky DeFrank. As both a boxing trainer and pastor, DeFrank imparts his wisdom on overcoming adversity and never backing down through his Beautiful Feet Ministry and Youngstown Salem Boxing Gym.

"Some days we get six or seven kids, some days we're at 35, 40 kids," DeFrank explained. His nonprofit also helps the homeless and dependent.

After losing his father-in-law unexpectedly last year, then losing his brother in a shooting - the circumstances of which are still being investigated - life is forcing DeFrank to live his faith like never before.

"It's not really practicing what you preach, it's being obedient to God's word...and I'd already lost another brother to a drug overdose," said DeFrank, choking back tears.

With his and his wife's finances overwhelmed, the gym and church fell behind on rent.
Now they're on the brink of shutting down.

"So we set up a GoFundMe," DeFrank said. "We got (until) May 15, we have to come up with $6,000 and now June 15 we have to come up with another $8,800, which $2,800 will be paid cause that's the rent, but then we need $6,000 as well, so we have to come up with $12,000."

DeFrank has a couple car washes planned in the coming weeks, along with a boxing tournament June 15 to raise money.
In the meantime he's hoping the community he's worked so hard to serve will be in his corner.

"We just want people to believe in what we're doing," said DeFrank. "We have so much good we can do for the community and it's been a blessing so far and I don't want to just up and leave here."

CLICK HERE to donate to the GoFundMe. You can also send CashApp donations to $Aleciad33 and $Lovecastoutfear75, or learn more on Facebook.