When Isaiah Kacyvenski was young, life was rough. His father, he says, was an alcoholic whose whippings would leave the young boy unable to sit down for a week at a time. His familys struggle with money led to long stretches without heat or hot water. His reliance on food stamps meant that complete meals were scarce, unless you count a bag of popcorn as dinner.

But, Kacyvenski told The Oprah Winfrey Show back in 2007, it was his mother who kept the familys spirits alive. My mom got me through everything, he said. I think her love to us is a testament to what love can do.

By age 9, Kacyvenski says he was determined to live a better life. Education, he believed, was his ticket out of poverty and football would help get him there. He committed himself to both.

I wanted to be that perfect student and perfect athlete, Kacyvenski said. Id lift [weights] at five in the morning, go straight from my lift to go bug teachers before school started... Id raise my hand about 20 times in every, single class. I knew I might fall short on some things, but it wasnt going to be because I didnt work hard enough.