I Beat The Odds

Michael was born in Memphis Tennessee. His dad was in prison most of Michael's life and his mom was addicted to alcohol and crack. Michael and his siblings were left alone a lot or were locked out of their house with no food or place to stay.

MIchael and his brothers had a plan to hide when the DCS people showed up to pick them up. His mom left so they had been left alone for a few days and the DCS people showed up. The boys all ran away but they forgot about their little sisters. The DCS took the three youngest kids into foster care and they never lived with their brothers again.

After avoiding DCS for a year Michael and his brother Carlos were picked up at their elementary school and put into foster care. They lived with Velma Jones for two years. This was the first time they went to the same school for that long, they had chores, went to church, and felt loved and cared for.

After running away from one foster home after another Michael was put into St. Joseph's hospital because they thought he had anger issues. He was just really sad and didn't know how to express his emotions. When he ran away from St. Joseph's he never went back into foster care. He stayed with his mom when she was around but started camping on people's floors or sleeping in doorways or under bridges. He was homeless for most of these years bouncing between his friend's houses.

Tony was a basketball coach who saw potential in Michael. He talked Michael's mom into letting him play AAU basketball so he had good coaches. His son Steve and Michael were friends. Tony help get Michael into a better public school and was one of the first men Michael had in his life that was a good influence because he was a good man and father. He was concerned with Michael's development as an athlete and as a student.

Big Tony took Michael and his son to many private schools to try and get them a better education. They were turned down by schools but Briarwood Academy gave them a chance. They let Michael in as long as he could show he could handle the school work at an alternative school for one year. Michael worked so hard that halfway through the first year he was allowed to go to Briarwood. This was his first chance at a real education instead of bouncing from one school to another.

Michael was bouncing between houses of friends and no one from Briarcrest besides Big Tony and Steve knew he was homeless. The Tuohy's were a family from Briarcrest that figured out that Michael needed more than just a place to stay for a day or two. They made him a part of their family, but also wanted him to stay in touch with him mom. They eventually adopted Michael. This was his first real family.

Michael bounced around from school to school when he was young. One year he went to 5 different elementary schools. He was just passed from one grade to the next. With a lot of hard and extra work when he started at Briarwood Michael raised his GPA from .76 to 2.52 and graduated from high school eligible to play in the NCAA. This proved to him that he was smart when he had the support to succeed.

This was what he had been working towards for the last ten years. After all the extra hours of school work, studying, and hard work he was academically eligible to go to a division 1 college and pursue his dream of going pro.

Michael had dreamed of being a professional athlete for the last 15 years. He wanted a better life for himself and his family. This achievement was everything he had worked so hard for.