“MVP Ray Lewis, Ted Dance, Hines Ward, and Tim Dance”
When I was about 10 years old, I remember a gentleman knocking at our door. He was looking for young boys who wanted to sign up for a new youth football league that was just getting started. I remember my mom looking down at me and asking me if I wanted to sign up. With a very big smile, I said, "yes."
I first got involved in sports around the age of 5, playing in the backyard of our home. Athletics played a very important part in our lives. I have many great memories from youth football from the experience to meeting new friends. Being on a team and competing helped to teach me many positive lessons in life that can be applied even now. Sports, family, and the love of my mother helped to mold my own character and integrity.
My mother was a single parent raising four children and influenced my life dramatically. I have learned to appreciate those formative times more now than ever before. Eventually, I entered high school and, needless to say, I continued to play football winning all state and all city honors.
I dreamed of playing college football and having a real shot at the pros. But, as life sometimes throws you a curve, I found that my whole world was about to change dramatically. While I was still very young, my high school sweetheart and I discovered that we were to become parents. I realized that raising my son with character and integrity was worth more to me than a million dollar contract in the NFL. Two wonderful sons and six years later, their mother decided to relocate alone and I was left in the position of being the only parent of my two young boys. It was a difficult time even with the support and example of my mother and grandfather. The opportunity arose for me to join the electrical union as an apprentice. After completing years of extensive training, I was able to obtain my Master Electrician's license and go into business for my family and myself. As time went on and my life changed, I established a mortgage brokerage company with which I am still busy and involved.
My sons have gone on to achieve on a level that many parents wouldn't dare to dream. I am so proud of their accomplishments on and off the field. I always hoped that they would both achieve success on and off the field, but I never imagined that both of them would achieve such great successes and carry such great strength of character and integrity. I wanted my sons to shoot for the moon, so at the very least they would be among the Stars!
My mother, a driving force in my life, passed away nearly four years ago. Her passing reminds me that life is short and tomorrow is never promised. She lit a torch for me that I strive to pass on to my sons and to their sons as well.
