CALGARY—”Everyone’s got something … lead with kindness.”
That’s the message Canadian bobsleigh athlete Kenny M’Pindou wants to share with junior high school-aged students and corporate leaders across the country while he continues to chase his Olympic dream on the track to Milan/Cortina 2026.
Born and raised in Alberta to immigrant parents from the Democratic Republic of Congo, M’Pindou understands what it feels like to be scared, shy, alone and laughed at. He, and his twin brother Kevin, stuttered throughout their life, and continue to do so today.
Stuttering is a communication challenge that causes the flow of speech to be broken up by repetitions, prolongations, or abnormal stoppages of sounds. M’Pindou , who speaks English, French and Lingala, discovered he had a speech disorder while reading in Grade 7 English class. It was a day that changed his life forever.
“Our teacher went row by row, asking each student to read a paragraph of a book. Without thinking anything of it at the time, I read out loud and stumbled on several words. It didn’t take long, and I started to hear the silent laughs, the jokes, and that’s when everything changed,” said M’Pindou. “I became shy in certain situations. I would hide in group work, and I felt relief when the teacher would skip over me.”
M’Pindou was pushed to the sidelines in and outside of school throughout his developmental years, struggling to find a sense of belonging. In high school, he lost his job working at a store because he was told customers would not be comfortable with his speech. He was advised by professors not to chase his goal of pursuing a career in law enforcement. He was neglected by recruiters making it a struggle to find work.
“Kevin and I talked about rejection and how many times we heard the word ‘no.’ It’s something we heard all too often,” said M’Pindou.
The only place of comfort for Kenny and his brother, Kevin, was being together and playing sport – a space where they let their athletic abilities do the talking. His path in sport led him to playing elite-level soccer internationally before finding his way to the National Bobsleigh Program.
“We found our passion for sports early on. We were always the fastest and strongest. If we weren’t the most skilled or technical athletes, we were definitely the most athletic,” added M’Pindou. “But for me, sports felt like the only chance I had. I didn’t have to worry about my stutter. It became my identity, and a way express myself to others what I’m capable of instead of being the kid who stuttered.”
The M’Pindou brothers are not alone. It is estimated that over 300,000 Canadians are unable to order their favourite food, express their feelings, or say what they want because of their speech.
In Grade 8, M’Pindou’s parents decided to put the brothers in speech therapy. They did an intensive summer program with ISTAR (Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research). They learned techniques they didn’t have before. It was short-lived due to costs, but M’Pindou reconnected with ISTAR in university which has helped him to build confidence and prepared him to now share his story.
“I remember reading about Ed Sheeran, who stuttered, and how he would rap Eminem songs to help with his speech. Reading about famous people like Ed, Shaquille O’Neal, Kendrick Lamar and others gave me the confidence to share my own story,” added M’Pindou. “Through my work with ISTAR, I have come to realize that we all face challenges. The goal isn’t to feel bad for each other, but to make space for each other regardless of our differences.”
Today, Kenny M’Pindou is on a mission to do just that: achieve his Olympic dream of representing Canada in bobsleigh at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, and to leverage his platform to positively impact young Canadians, helping students throughout the country embrace their own challenges, and contribute to making their communities better, more inclusive, and welcoming, by sharing his story and experiences.
“It’s never been about people feeling sorry for me. Even before I started speaking openly about stuttering, I always had the mindset that I’d prove myself right, regardless of what others might say or think. The hard part was always wondering how people would react, and that’s what made it tough to be vulnerable in the beginning. So being able to shape something meaningful out of that journey means a lot,” he said.
On Friday, just one week prior to the season-opening bobsleigh camp that unofficially marks the beginning of the Olympic season, M’Pindou – with the support of his teammates and the team at ISTAR – officially launched his personal journey while sharing his story with more than 400 students at St. Helena School in Calgary, educating them on stuttering, and using his experiences to encourage kids to embrace their own challenges, be inclusive, welcoming, and kind.
“I now realize that is the power of sport and my purpose,” said M’Pindou. “In addition to making that Olympic dream a reality, it is my goal now to go back to the place where my life changed forever and encourage kids in junior high that we all have something. For me, it was my speech. For others it can be anxiety, family issues, bullying, learning differences, etc. Kindness costs nothing, but it means everything.”
Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton is a non-profit organization and the national governing body for the sports of bobsleigh and skeleton in Canada. With the support of its valued corporate partners – Karbon, Athabasca Oil Corporation in collaboration with Canada Action’s I Love Canada Energy, Joe Rocket and Driving Force – along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee, Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton develops champions in the community, on and off the track, who have a passion for bobsleigh and skeleton. Please visit us at www.bobsleighcanadaskeleton.ca.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Chris Dornan
Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton
T: 403-620-8731