Christopher Jarrett Medina Gardner was born to Chris Gardner and Jackie Medina on January 28, 1981. His life story was famously depicted in the biographical drama, “The Pursuit of Happyness”, starring Jaden Smith as himself.
Birth
On the 28th of January, 1981, Christopher Jarrett Medina Gardner came into the world, born to Chris Gardner and Jackie Medina.
Hard days
It had been approximately four months since Jackie had vanished along with their son when she returned and gave custody of him to Christopher Jarrett Medina Gardner. By then, he was barely making a living wage to be able to rent a room in a dingy flophouse. Despite the fact that the living arrangements at his place of residence did not permit children, Gardner chose to take on full responsibility of his child. He had a steady job but they both faced homelessness while he worked hard to raise money for a house in Berkeley.
Year of Struggle
Unbeknownst to Gardner’s colleagues, he and his son were without a home for nearly twelve months in the Tenderloin of San Francisco. Christopher Jarrett Medina Gardner often had trouble finding a safe & secure place to stay with his son, so he did the best he could in tough circumstances. This included using daycare facilities, standing in soup kitchens & sleeping wherever they could find shelter, like his office after hours, flophouses, motels, parks, airports & even a BART station bathroom.
Father was recruited by Bear Stearns & Company in San Francisco
Gardner strove to become one of the best trainees at Dean Witter Reynolds. He was always punctual and stayed late every day, persistently calling prospective clients with the aim to make 200 calls a day. His hard work paid off and in 1982, he passed the Series 7 Exam on his first attempt, becoming a full employee of the firm. In time, Gardner was recruited by Bear Stearns & Company located in San Francisco.
Christopher Jarrett Medina Gardner resumed contact with Jackie and had a second child
Once Gardner had a place to call home, he reconnected with Jackie and in 1985, they welcomed a daughter named Jacintha into the world. Gardner refused Jackie’s offer to reunite, but he set up an arrangement for Chris Jr. and Jacintha to stay with her while he was away at work for long hours.
Gardner Rich & Co
In 1987, Gardner Rich & Co. was founded in Chicago, Illinois as an institutional brokerage firm. It specializes in the execution of debt, equity and derivative products for some of the largest institutions, public pension plans and unions across the country.
The Pursuit of Happyness
The Pursuit of Happyness, featuring Will Smith, Thandie Newton and Jaden Smith, follows the hardship faced by Chris Gardner as he attempts to make a career for himself and provide for his son while dealing with homelessness.
