Earlier this week, the Detroit Lions shared a tale from defensive tackle D.J. Reader, in which the new Lions defender opened up about his parenthood journey and the loss of his father at the age of 19.
In the longform presentation complete with childhood photos, Reader reflects on his time with his Father, who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when Reader was six and later passed when Reader was in college. The defensive tackle also opens up about failing a drug test while at Clemson following his Father’s death.
Reader says that if he wasn’t a football player, he would have been a guidance counselor or a teacher, just like his Dad. He mentions that in the start of the piece, along with telling fans how he’d be spending Father’s Day Weekend.
“To me, my dad was Superman,” Reader said. “The best. Amazing. A true leader. There are really so many words to describe him, but he truly was the definition of what I think a man is supposed to be. This Father’s Day weekend, I’ll go to the grave and give my dad a cold Mountain Dew. I’ll bring a copy of the Greensboro News and Record and read him some stories. My son, Rocky, will be with me and will probably be resting on my leg, just listening. I don’t really think about this being the 10-year anniversary of his death too much. It used to be a day of grieving, but it’s more of a day of celebration now. He taught me to never forget about my community, to never forget about my mom, my family. To everything that’s helped me get to this point, I want to make sure I shine a light on that.”
