Kroll's father worked as a laborer in one of the many steel mills that dotted the landscape of Leechburg and other Alle-Kiski Valley communities at that time. Kroll remembers the support system he had growing up with a large extended family that included “an aunt and uncle on almost every block.” He adds, “I was never sure if I were rich or poor. We didn’t have a car or a lot of other amenities, but it didn’t seem relevant because I had these wonderful supporters.”