I was not going to write another blog until my Celebration
of Life, which is this coming Tuesday, May 10th. But Allah (God) put
it on my heart to do it today and to dedicate this to two very special women in
my life and that is my mom and my big sister!!
My mom raised me and my big sister, who is my half-sister,
we have different dads, but she is my sister and is like a second mom to me!!
As children, we fought like cats and dogs and I honestly thought she hated me,
but I did not know she was toughening me because she knew growing up in our
neighborhood, I could not be weak or no punk!!
I did not know her thoughts until she eventually moved out
and we became closer. Our mom also put me in sports but the one I loved the
most and played from age 8 until the age of 19 when my dream/football career
came to an end at Mesa Community College.
I am thankful to Allah (God), my mom, and my big sister for
supporting me and never giving up on me!! Being the baby, the boy, I got in a
lot of trouble. I got mixed up with the wrong crowd searching for a male figure.
I got involved in the gang life at the age of 13 and most of it was not by
choice. I was guilty by affiliation. As the saying goes, "you are who you hang
with." So, I got involved in the gang life because of who I hung out with.
My mom and big sister did not give up on me because they
love me, and they both saw the best in me when everyone around could only see
the worst in me. My mom was at most of my football games from pop warner until
my senior year of high school. My big sister was a cheerleader, and she would
come to my games when she could. She would later come to my high school games.
But no matter what, they both supported me!!
I am going to share two stories to show the support that my
mom and big sister gave me.
Story number one, my mom – I was 9 years old, and this guy
in my apartment who was a few years older than me, who hated my guts because
his girlfriend thought I was cute. He would bully me, one day, he took my
bike. He pushed me off it and was like what do you want to do?! He was asking
me do I want to fight? I was scared and I went into my apartment crying and I
told my mom this guy took my bike. She said, “go get it back!” I told her no
because I was scared!! She asked me “who are you more afraid of, him of me?!” I
said you!! She then, said, “well, go get your bike back or you are going to have
to fight me instead of him.”
So, I went outside marching like a soldier ready for battle.
He saw me coming with my fist balled up like, I was ready to fight. He jumped
off my bike and was like, what is up?! What do you want to do?! I look became
because I was going to run but I happened to look up in my bedroom window and I
saw my mom watching me. She nodded her head like, you already know what time it
is!! So, I turned back around and rushed at him swinging for my life. He fell
to the ground, and I jumped on top of his chest. Sat down on his chest and give
him the fist of fury!!
Some of my neighbors came to pull me off of him as they were
pulling me, I wrapped his shirt around my left hand and I was still swinging
with my right. My mom instilled in me back then to face my fears, or I was
going to have to face her (smile).
Story number two, my sister – A few years ago, I was trying
to complete my bachelor's degree. I was separated going through a divorce, my
apartment caught on fire, and I had to move in with one of my spiritual brothers/friends,
and my job cut my hours. I was so stressed out and I told my sister that I was
going to take a break from school.
I only had a few semesters left and my big sister
encouraged me not to take a break. She said, "you are already at the door,
you are almost done, do not take a break because you are going to end up
quitting!" She reminded me, of how I started quitting things later in life
when they got too challenging. She reminded me of my goal, when, I first
told her I wanted to go back to school. I told her, I wanted to get my
associate's degree, bachelor's degree, master's, and doctorate. Thanks to my
big sister for encouraging me not to quit, I am now working on my doctorate.
I truly thank Allah (God) for my mom and big sister for
always encouraging me and supporting me. I thank Allah (God) for not allowing them to give up on me and to see the best in me when everyone around could only
see the worst in me.
