Inspirational Story of Chris Gardner Chris Gardner is an American stockbroker, businessman, motivational speaker, author, and philanthropist. The life story of Chris Gardner is surely one made for the big screen. He once struggled with financial problems and homelessness while raising his toddler son Christopher Gardner Jr. From being a single father without any money while living on the streets of San Francisco with his small son, he succeeded with his willpower and perseverance to overcome every obstacle he faced and found a successful company. Childhood On February 9, 1954, Chris Gardner was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Thomas Turner and Bettye Gardner. He was the second and only boy born to Bettye Gardner. He did not have a very pleasant childhood, as his stepfather was physically abusive to his mother and sisters. In one incident, his mother was falsely imprisoned for welfare fraud, and Chris and his sisters were…