“A year ago, I was training for the NFL and chasing my dream. My son had just been born–he was going to have a better life. I was soaking it all in. Then I was in a car wreck. My leg was smashed. I had two blood transfusions on the scene. They didn’t call my mom for three hours while I was trapped in the truck–they didn’t think I would make it. I laid my head on the steering wheel, calm as a river. They amputated my leg right there. My football career was over, but God had other plans for me. I thought, I’ll see my leg again one day.

I grew up in Eufaula and Union Springs, Alabama. My mom was a single parent. I didn’t have everything I wanted, but Mom made sure I had what I needed. In fifth grade, she taught me how to play football–even tackling. I didn’t want to tackle her because I didn’t want to hurt her. But she made me do it, saying it was for my best. 

My mom has helped me through the storms of life. I had a spinal cord injury in high school; the doctors told me that I would never play football again. Mom drove me to another doctor in Texas. He did a CAT scan and told me I could play football. I remember looking out the window and crying.

Mom didn’t miss a practice. Sometimes after practice we went back to her job, staying there until one a.m. She took me to football camps on her off-time, staying up late sending emails to football coaches, just so I could succeed. Watching her do that made me give my all in football and school. College coaches started contacting me after my eighth-grade year. I had over forty offers out of high school. I went to Ole Miss because it felt like family. 

I always had the mindset of attacking greatness and never quitting. But I had to wait my turn and be ready to play at Ole Miss. My goal was to win the ‘Chucky Mullins Courage Award,’ the highest award you can win at Ole Miss. I won that and got to wear 38–Chucky’s number. I was part of the foundation of the team’s success today. 

I drove past the Oxford Housing Authority, and God moved my heart to spend time with those kids. The Boys and Girls Club in Eufaula put mentors in my life who made sure I stayed in check. I wanted to do that for other kids. I started bringing pizza and spending time with them once a week, talking about life skills and showing I care. They looked at me as a big brother and father figure. I started the KD Fun Day, getting other guys on the team to play with the kids. I also fed families at Thanksgiving and gave away toys at Christmas. I didn’t get to do my fun day last summer because of my accident, but I’m planning to have a big one this year. 

When I played football, I promised my mama I would buy her a house. That’s still my goal. After my grandfather passed away, his home went into foreclosure. I will buy that house one day and fix it up for generations to come. I keep my word and go above and beyond. 

My mom taught me to be the wise man who builds a house on the rock so the house won’t wash away when the floods come. My foundation is God. When the state trooper arrived at my wreck, the first thing I said was, ‘Can you hold my hand? Let’s pray.’ I was alive; God wasn’t done with me yet. The next day, I walked on my walker and started making videos of encouragement for my young son. One day, he will face adversity–I want him to see this is how his dad did it. 

My son is my reason to keep going. I know what it feels like not to have a father, so my accident wasn’t going to stop me from being in his life. My prosthesis has pictures of my son and Philipians 4:12. It’s one of my favorite verses: ‘I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.’ Suffering is necessary because it shows you things you never knew you had inside you. It also shows the goodness of the Lord. 

I miss football, but I don’t look at my leg and ask, ‘why me?’ I start the day thanking the Lord for waking me up this morning and get going. I still workout every day. I jump rope with one leg and do double-ups. 

I don’t know what life would have been like without the accident. But through this, God showed me my purpose: I’m called to be a full-time motivational speaker. I think about legacy and how I want to be remembered. I don’t spend time on things that don’t matter. Wherever God wants me, I’ll plant good seeds.”

KD

Bonus story: “We used to go fishing with my grandfather. We typically caught a lot of fish, but one day we weren’t catching anything. I told him he had to have faith the size of a mustard seed. All of a sudden, we started catching a lot of fish. That was my first time to see that faith is real. God keeps his promises. 

My grandfather didn’t have anything, but he made sure the others around him were okay. During Christmas, my mom and I gave baskets to the homeless in Columbus, Georgia. I learned to care for others from them.”