Spider is also a highly popular motivational speaker who is
much admired for his diligent work among the youth. His inspirational
life story "Out of the Darkness" reveals
his amazing rise from the impoverished, gang infested, inner-city
projects of Detroit and Windsor and how, as a grade five dropout,
he eventually returned to school at the age of thirty to become
an honour student. Spider's favourite thing is talking to his
Nighthawks, whether it be about sports, entertainment, or hot
issues.
Over the past 20 years, Spider has interviewed such notables
as Muhammad Ali, Mark Wahlberg, Jesse Jackson, LL Cool J, Ron
Howard, Scott Grimes, Doug Gilmour, Cito Gaston, Oscar De La Hoya,
Roy Jones, Kris Kristofferson, James Brown, Guy Lafleur, Carlos
Delgado, Jim Brown and countless others. Among his other claims
to fame was to act as a sparring partner for such boxing legends
as George Chuvalo and former World Heavyweight Champion Jimmy
Ellis. Spider was also a member of Muhammad Ali's training camp
back in the days when 'The Greatest' fought Chuvalo.