Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis (thawell.net)

Would you believe one of the best NFL linebackers had a hard childhood. Well believe it, Ray Lewis had a hard childhood. But he did not let his situation as a child get the best of what he knew he wanted to do as a adult.

Ray Lewis was born on May 15, 1975. He was born in Bartow, FL where he had a hard childhood. When Ray Lewis was younger he would rarely see his father due to drugs and prison. When Ray was six he found the sport of football. Ray was a successful youth football player but he did not have a father to brag about his skills to. He would often get calls that his dad was coming to town and he was coming to pick up little Ray but he did not come. During that time he got very bitter. When he was a teenager he started to train until he would nearly pass out to get some of that bitterness out of him. When Ray was in high school one of his coaches gave him a old yearbook where in the the book all of the athletic records were listed. Ray saw his dad's records in the book and he trained even more so all of his dad's records would be gone.

In 1993, Ray accepted a football scholarship to the University of Miami. His father was still rarely in Ray's life. When Ray and his father did see each other it did not go well. Football and training would really be the only two things that would stop Ray from thinking about his father. Ray was drafted in the NFL in 1996 to the Baltimore Ravens. When Ray was drafted to the NFL his father would come around more, but to only ask for money then his father would disappear again. All Ray wanted out of his father was a conversation. In 2000, when Ray plead guilty to a double homicide, his father was not there. When Ray got his first Superbowl, his father was not there. In 2005, Ray payed for his dad's drug rehab. In 2006, Ray's dad gave everything up. Ray Lewis found out not having a father was the family curse and Ray would be the one to break that curse.

Ray Lewis's last game ( dmvlife.com)

Now Ray Lewis is a retired NFL player who mentors kids in his charity the United Athletes Foundation. The United Athletes Foundation helps kids that are dealing with the same problems Ray had to deal with as a child. Ray also inspires the kids by telling them they can do anything they put their minds to. Ray goes back to the University of Miami and gives motivational speeches to the football players. He tells the children and players Bible scriptures to give motivation also. Ray Lewis also has another foundation called the Ray Lewis 52 Foundation. He tries to give the children in his foundation a father figure. His charities help kids in New York City and in Baltimore. Now that Ray is retired he is a NFL commentator. He is now the proud father of six children. I think everything Ray went through as a child has helped him know how to be a good man in his home and in the world.

A hero has traits of kindness, bravery, hope. A hero should care about others and should try to help them. Ray Lewis has all those qualities. Ray Lewis is my hero because he does a lot for the children that are growing up fatherless. He has also broken the family curse by staying with his children. He did not let his past affect his future. Thank You Ray Lewis for being a good role model for a lot of children, including me!