Hero On and Off the Field
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Imagine a small boy living in a poor rundown neighborhood surrounded by corruption, but still able to reach his dreams of having a better life and helping others reach the same goal. Who would have known that this small boy with dreams to change himself and others through his talents would become a star running back. Today, LaDainian Tomlinson is not just an amazing player for the National Football League, but also, an amazing person. LaDainian Tomlinson was born June 23, 1979 in Rosebud, Texas. He grew up with his mother Lorreane Tomlinson, who along with his stepfather, Herman Chappell, raised him and his two siblings. He attended Waco University High School and during his senior year he was selected as the top offensive player of central Texas. Growing up in a small town he was bound to be recognized. After high school he got a scholarship to Texas Christian University. During his time at TCU he met his future wife, LaTorsha. His senior year at TCU he was nominated for the Heisman Trophy and obtained fourth place. After college, Tomlinson was the fifth overall pick by the San Diego Chargers in the 1st round of the NFL Draft in 2001. On March 21, 2003 LaDainian and LaTorsha married and seven years later had their son Daylen on July 8th 2010. Today he holds the all-time NFL record for single season touchdowns, the all-time NFL record for single season rushing touchdowns, the all-time NFL record for the most points scored in a single season and a number of other records. Currently, he is playing for the New York Jets and hopes to keep improving in his career. He is not only the best at the sport but also gives back to his community; he has his own charitable foundation which helps people in need. LaDainian says that even when his career is over he will keep on helping those who are less fortunate. LaDainian Tomlinson is a caring and an outstanding hard worker. All because he put his mind and all his strength to get to where he is and trusts in God to help him reach his goals. He knows to help those who have less than him because he understands where they are coming from, because he once lived in the same conditions. He takes it upon himself to be a hero for others. LaDaininan Tomlinson has the great characteristics of a hero, one being caring for others, another is that he is an extremely hard worker. It takes immense hard work to reach such goals; goals that are reached with every day hard work. And with the rewards that his hard work has brought to him he chooses to care for others, and be their hero.
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LaDainian Tomlinson is an outstanding hard working person and everything he has in life today is because he worked hard for it. Since he was a little boy he has set goals for himself and with determination and persistence he has reached his dreams of becoming one of the best football players of all time. "Record-setting LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers ran away with The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award Thursday the way he eluded defenders in leading his team to the AFC's best record (14-2) and a favorite's role for the Super Bowl." ("Chargers' Tomlinson Runs Away with MVP Award). He gives the example of hard work to others just how his family gave the example to him. It took him an incredible amount of work to reach the NFL, and break all those rushing records and amazing gain awards. He did it all through the everyday hard work he puts into his life. Even though he has won many awards and accomplished many great things through his life and career he is still thinking of the hard work he will put into his career to accomplish many more future things. “”I would feel so much better about winning if we win the Super Bowl. It would feel like it would be everything,” Tomlinson said.” (“Chargers' Tomlinson Runs Away with MVP Award”). He still hungry for more, he wants to be the best that he can be at what he does and complete his football dream of winning the super bowl and he has faith that he will accomplish this through his hard work ethic. He knows that to reach this goal he will have to work hard day by day, and the next day work harder than the previous day. Hard work and determination is what it takes to get where you want to be, to reach your dreams, and grab your goals. Tomlinson shows all this by how he got where he is today and all it took was to be the best he could be.
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Receiving many blessing which he gained with his hard work, he shares his blessings with others by caring for them. Throughout his life LaDainian Tomlinson has been an extremely hard worker, and caring person. In everything he does he chooses to give back the ones who need it most. All he has is because of his hard work and faith in God and it is because of this that he can help others. He also shows how he is caring by setting an example to others that if you work hard for something you will reach it, no matter who you are or where you come from. He is a hero that helps others through the talents that were given to him. "There are no words to describe the type of person he is," Gates says. "He's definitely a leader on and off the field. He's a family man. Ideally, he's the type of person you want to be. He has set the standard for how a man is supposed to live his life." (“In the Huddle with LaDainian Tomlinson”). He inspires me to work hard every day so that I can reach my dreams and goals. He also inspires me to care for the ones that have less than I do, and that no matter what people say you can always reach your goals in life no matter what they are. A hero is what LaDainian Tomlinson is and he shows this by caring for others and also through his hard work to reach his dreams and goals to have a better life for himself and create better lives for the ones around him. He is a true hero because he not only worked hard for himself but he worked hard for those that surround him, he worked hard.
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LaDainian Tomlinson has a great caring character trait which makes him a hero by giving to the needy and understanding where they come from. Being one of the best in the game today LaDainian Tomlinson doesn't keep that money he has to himself, he is selfless and cares for those around him by always giving back with what has given to him. ”Back in grade school, he promised to give his mother a big house, and now she's living in it."When we were kids, I wrote a letter to her and told her I would get her a house like this," L.T. remembers. He was about eight years old at the time. Now, at 28, he has become a sought-after celebrity, but at heart he's still a modest mamma's boy. And from his mother, he learned what became the guiding lights of his life: nothing is as important as giving, and always aims for the stars”. (L.T.: Off-Field Work Is More Important). Supporting many charities and having his own charity he gives back to his community. Throughout his life Tomlinson has been chasing his dream and has reached it with his faith in God. Since a young age he has dedicated himself to work hard in everything he does to reach his dream of becoming a football player and now that he has he gives back to the ones that need it most. He's the last player to leave, choosing to sign autographs and take pictures with the kids he invited to the game as part of his charitable foundation. He has so much and he gives most of it to people that need it because he knows that he has everything he could possibly need. “As Tomlinson continues to try to balance his responsibilities in the community and on the football field, he is focusing on finishing his career in San Diego and continuing his work with children after his football career is over. In the midst of the celebrity in his life, Tomlinson focuses on those who can use his help through his foundation, which gives away turkeys at Thanksgiving, gifts at Christmas and scholarships at the end of the school year to needy families. "It's not about what kind of car you drive, or how much ice you have,” he says. “That's not important. It's about the type of person you are.”(“In the Huddle with LaDainian Tomlinson”). He also thinks about how he is going to help even after he is done with his career. He changes the lives of people by giving them a chance for a better education and a happier way of life. Caring is what he shows by helping the ones who need it most, caring is what he does by setting a good example to others. Being caring is one of the best character traits that make people heroes today, and it is also what makes LaDainian Tomlinson a hero because he cares about those people which need help the most, like kids that want a better education but can't afford one, or the parents that can't give Christmas presents to their children. Everyone that he can help he helps because he cares and this is something that makes him a true hero.
Page created on 4/27/2011 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 4/27/2011 12:00:00 AM