Big Mike
Big Mike lives in Mississippi, far from Los Angeles. Yet his story touched me at my deepest level.
I met him in the Sept. 24,2006 edition of the New York Times Magazine. He was on the cover, along with his posse or entourage (about 9 other people), I thought. Boy, was I wrong-and quite right at the same time. You see, Big Mike is not your ordinary football player. He is a big 300-pound boy, and one that could run, a seeming rarity in football. He was orphaned at a young age and living in the streets of Memphis or any kind heart who would let him sleep on their floor. He's been to 11 schools in nine years. To the ordinary person, he's just another statistic. Until one kind heart opened up to him.
It started with Big Tony Henderson. Big Mike was fortunate to have the opportunity to crash on Big Tony's floor. Big Tony's mom's dying wish was to have his son Steven enrolled in a Christian school. Since Mike was living with them, Big Tony decided to take him as well.
Another kind heart opened up for Big Mike in Steve Simpson, the principal of Briarcrest Christian School. It wasn't an easy decision for him as Mike, decidedly, has no academic acheivements to speak of. Against all odds, he conditionally accepted Big Mike. Then another kind heart opened.
Enter Sean Tuohy and his "rich white family." Sean was an "American success story," an Ole Miss alumni, self-made man with more than a dozen businesses, a beautiful wife and two children. What brought him more joy than all his successes is hanging around kids in sports. He was the unofficial consultant to the Briarcrest coaches and the kids. To make the long story short, he befriended Big Mike not knowing this friendship will alter the state of his family. With the prodding of his wife, they took Big Mike in as their own. Effectively opening up not just their home but other kind hearts to Big Mike. They brought in a tutor, Sue Mitchell, who successfully brought Big Mike's GPA up to 2.65 in two years. Simultaneously, Hugh Freeze, Briarcrest's football head coach, saw his potential and was training him.
End of story is, Michael Jerome Oher is now playing for Ole Miss and is "on a collision course with the 2nd highest-paying job int he NFL" - starting left tackle.
It is an amazing true story that I could not put down once I started. Here I was thinking, here's another football player and his manager, agent, girlfriend, assistant, etc. Little did I know that all the people on the cover played a pivotal role in turning Big Mike's life around. Here's one child saved from a life on the streets and poverty.
Big Mike's story hit me. I see children on my day to day activities. They annoy me sometimes. In my observations, I have somehow concluded that there are some people who should not have been parents. Becoming parents are truly a blessing from God, but somehow, some people, whatever their circumstance may be, do not see the blessing they have. Call me old fashioned. I just appreciate how I was brought up, by my parents, family, school and friends, and I don't think I turned out to be a disappointment at all. I've come to realize that there are a lot of support systems I took for granted growing up that are missing in society here. The public school system is passing children just to get rid of them. Some children are growing up not knowing who God is. Values? they only know the value of a dollar not kindness, or compassion. Principles? Let's not even go there.
I'm no superwoman. I'm not here to change the entire world. But this story has prodded me to do what I can. So, I am back asissting in a 5th grade catechism class at church. I started today and I've missed the interaction with the kids. It was wonderful to be around their little minds again and helping them realize the goodness of God.
On Monday, I will start one on one tutoring. A co-worked introduced me to Richstone Family Center. It is a center devoted to the child and family, preventing child abuse, strengthening families, and to promote non-violent resolution of conflicts in families, schools and communities. I volunteeered my time to help a young girl in her reading skills.
So, say a little prayer for the children - and yes, because they have me as their teacher. Ha!
Seriously, I do this because this is how I was brought up - by my family, St. Scho, & UP. Hopefully, others find their niche, their calling. Life is more than money can ever buy.
I met him in the Sept. 24,2006 edition of the New York Times Magazine. He was on the cover, along with his posse or entourage (about 9 other people), I thought. Boy, was I wrong-and quite right at the same time. You see, Big Mike is not your ordinary football player. He is a big 300-pound boy, and one that could run, a seeming rarity in football. He was orphaned at a young age and living in the streets of Memphis or any kind heart who would let him sleep on their floor. He's been to 11 schools in nine years. To the ordinary person, he's just another statistic. Until one kind heart opened up to him.
It started with Big Tony Henderson. Big Mike was fortunate to have the opportunity to crash on Big Tony's floor. Big Tony's mom's dying wish was to have his son Steven enrolled in a Christian school. Since Mike was living with them, Big Tony decided to take him as well.
Another kind heart opened up for Big Mike in Steve Simpson, the principal of Briarcrest Christian School. It wasn't an easy decision for him as Mike, decidedly, has no academic acheivements to speak of. Against all odds, he conditionally accepted Big Mike. Then another kind heart opened.
Enter Sean Tuohy and his "rich white family." Sean was an "American success story," an Ole Miss alumni, self-made man with more than a dozen businesses, a beautiful wife and two children. What brought him more joy than all his successes is hanging around kids in sports. He was the unofficial consultant to the Briarcrest coaches and the kids. To make the long story short, he befriended Big Mike not knowing this friendship will alter the state of his family. With the prodding of his wife, they took Big Mike in as their own. Effectively opening up not just their home but other kind hearts to Big Mike. They brought in a tutor, Sue Mitchell, who successfully brought Big Mike's GPA up to 2.65 in two years. Simultaneously, Hugh Freeze, Briarcrest's football head coach, saw his potential and was training him.
End of story is, Michael Jerome Oher is now playing for Ole Miss and is "on a collision course with the 2nd highest-paying job int he NFL" - starting left tackle.
It is an amazing true story that I could not put down once I started. Here I was thinking, here's another football player and his manager, agent, girlfriend, assistant, etc. Little did I know that all the people on the cover played a pivotal role in turning Big Mike's life around. Here's one child saved from a life on the streets and poverty.
Big Mike's story hit me. I see children on my day to day activities. They annoy me sometimes. In my observations, I have somehow concluded that there are some people who should not have been parents. Becoming parents are truly a blessing from God, but somehow, some people, whatever their circumstance may be, do not see the blessing they have. Call me old fashioned. I just appreciate how I was brought up, by my parents, family, school and friends, and I don't think I turned out to be a disappointment at all. I've come to realize that there are a lot of support systems I took for granted growing up that are missing in society here. The public school system is passing children just to get rid of them. Some children are growing up not knowing who God is. Values? they only know the value of a dollar not kindness, or compassion. Principles? Let's not even go there.
I'm no superwoman. I'm not here to change the entire world. But this story has prodded me to do what I can. So, I am back asissting in a 5th grade catechism class at church. I started today and I've missed the interaction with the kids. It was wonderful to be around their little minds again and helping them realize the goodness of God.
On Monday, I will start one on one tutoring. A co-worked introduced me to Richstone Family Center. It is a center devoted to the child and family, preventing child abuse, strengthening families, and to promote non-violent resolution of conflicts in families, schools and communities. I volunteeered my time to help a young girl in her reading skills.
So, say a little prayer for the children - and yes, because they have me as their teacher. Ha!
Seriously, I do this because this is how I was brought up - by my family, St. Scho, & UP. Hopefully, others find their niche, their calling. Life is more than money can ever buy.
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