Ben Carson's Youthful Temper: A Public Narrative | [Your City Name]

In his book Gifted Hands, Dr. Ben Carson describes a volatile adolescence. As a teenager, he recounted confronting peers with objects like rocks, bricks, baseball bats, and hammers. In one incident detailed on NBC's Meet the Press in October 2015, Carson said he attempted to stab a friend over a dispute about a radio station in ninth grade; the knife blade reportedly broke against the friend's belt buckle. Carson also wrote of trying to strike his mother with a hammer during a disagreement about clothing.

Carson stated he turned to the Book of Proverbs for guidance on anger management after these experiences and no longer struggled with his temper. These accounts have featured prominently in his public life, appearing in his books and campaign events across Florida.

However, in 2015, nine individuals who knew Carson in his youth told CNN they did not recall the violent temper he described. Responding to these accounts, Carson shared a 1997 Parade magazine article featuring his mother's verification of the stabbing incident, questioning the CNN interviewees' recollections.