Freddie Figgers facts for kids
Freddie Figgers (born September 26, 1989) is an amazing American inventor and business leader. He started his own company, Figgers Communication, and also created the Figgers Foundation to help others.
Contents
Freddie Figgers' Journey
Early Life and Clever Inventions
Freddie Figgers had a unique start to life. He was abandoned when he was born. Luckily, he was adopted just two days later by Nathan and Betty Mae Figgers. Nathan worked in maintenance, and Betty Mae was a farm worker.
Freddie grew up in Quincy, Florida. Even as a child, he loved fixing old electronics. When he was nine, he found a broken Apple Macintosh computer. He fixed it by using parts from a clock radio!
At age twelve, Freddie started repairing computers at his school. He did this during an after-school program. The program's director, who was also the mayor, hired him. Freddie then fixed computers at city hall. He even wrote a special program to check water pressure gauges.
When he was fifteen, Freddie left school to start his own business. He fixed computers in a shed in his backyard. In 2005, he launched his own cloud storage service. This is like online storage for computer files. He earned money by writing software for other people. This helped him grow his business.
Helpful Inventions for His Family
Freddie used his skills to help his family. His father, Nathan, developed Alzheimer's disease. This made him sometimes wander away. Freddie invented a special GPS tracker. He put it in his father's shoe. It also had a two-way communicator. This way, Freddie could always know where his father was. He sold the rights to this tracker for $2.2 million in 2014. Sadly, his father passed away that same month.
Freddie also helped his uncle, who had diabetes. He created a special device called a networked glucometer. This device could send a person's blood sugar levels to a family member and their doctor. It would also send an alert if the levels were not normal.
Building a Telecom Company
When Freddie was sixteen, he started his company, Figgers Communication. At nineteen, in 2008, he launched Figgers Wireless. He wanted to provide internet service to rural areas. These were places in northern Florida and southern Georgia.
He applied to the FCC for a special license. In 2011, when he was 21, he received it. This made him the youngest telecom operator in the United States! By 2020, Figgers Communication was the only Black-owned telecom company in the country.
Freddie's Personal Life
Freddie Figgers is married to Natlie Figgers, who is a lawyer. They have one daughter. Freddie also runs the Figgers Foundation. This foundation helps children and families who need support. It also gives money for education and healthcare projects.