When AJ Bohannon discovered a 12-year-old boy stealing thousands of dollars worth of goods from his car, he used the opportunity to give the boy, Eddie Young, a life lesson like no other: compassion.
Bohannon is a devoted football coach, committed to helping kids. For him, Eddie Young wasn’t just a random burglar, but a young boy in need of guidance and a second chance. So instead of calling the police he found Young and gave him the opportunity to turn his life around.
“I appreciate what he did, because I really wasn’t thinking at the time. I was just trying to be like the other people doing it. I knew it was wrong,” explained the young boy to Kake.com.
Thankfully Bohannon was there to show Young the right path to take. He gave the boy a football jersey and got him to run 100 laps before offering him the chance to join his football team.
Young is learning off the football field too. With the coach fast becoming his mentor, Bohannon is the perfect example of someone the 12-year-old can emulate: a fine male figure to look up to, respect, and show the way.
And now Young hopes to return the favor in years to come, by one day offering a second chance to a youngster like him. (He’d also like to become a wide receiver, but we’ll have to see if Bohannon’s coaching skills are as impressive as his kind heart!)
Read more:
An inspiring read for these times of pandemic by St. John Paul II
And today we celebrate...