Early life
Kim Kraig Thompson was born in Lansing, Michigan. His parents separated
when he was two years old. After which, he and his younger sister were
raised by their mother. While Thompson reports that it was a nurturing
home, the family experienced poverty and there was often little and
sometimes nothing to eat. His first job was working as a paperboy for the
Lansing State Journal as soon as he was able in order to help support the
family.
Thompson held title as chess champion of both his elementary and middle
school. He also showed an early aptitude for science and was an avid
reader.[2]
Thompson originally attended Everett High School (Michigan). However, the
in-school shooting and murder of his friend and longtime chess partner,
William Drehar and wounding of another friend, and member of the chess
club, Kevin Jones[3] by another student[4] prompted his single mother to
move the family to an apartment in East Lansing. While at East Lansing
High School,Thompson continued his participation in Debate, Model UN and
was on the Chess Team.
After graduating high school Thompson’s family experienced tragedy when
his mother fell ill and had to be hospitalized for a number of months and
was permanently disabled. Thompson worked full time doing menial jobs at
a local restaurant while taking night classes at a community college. He
left that life by joining an Alaskan alluvial mining company as a
professional diver. His work required him to live in the Alaskan
wilderness where he spent six hours a day beneath the water, directing
dredging equipment.[5]
