Unidentified Speaker (Brief Interjection)

So I reached out to him. I sent him a text. And I said, hey, coach, I need to talk to you about something.

I just kind of jumped right into it. I said, hey, what's going on, coach? Hey, what's going on? I said, you know, I'm adopted. Yeah, I know you're adopted. I said, I found my biological mom. So my dad is really strong in his faith. He's, oh, man, you know, man, you know, God is good, man. That's a blessing, all these different things like that. And I said, well, it's a little bit more.

I just kind of jumped right into it. I said, hey, what's going on, coach? Hey, what's going on? I said, you know, I'm adopted. Yeah, I know you're adopted. I said, I found my biological mom. So my dad is really strong in his faith. He's, oh, man, you know, man, you know, God is good, man. That's a blessing, all these different things like that. And I said, well, it's a little bit more.

I just kind of jumped right into it. I said, hey, what's going on, coach? Hey, what's going on? I said, you know, I'm adopted. Yeah, I know you're adopted. I said, I found my biological mom. So my dad is really strong in his faith. He's, oh, man, you know, man, you know, God is good, man. That's a blessing, all these different things like that. And I said, well, it's a little bit more.

He said, what's that? And I just kind of ran straight through it. I said, her name is Carol Briggs. And when I asked her who was my dad, she said, I just ran straight just like that. And it was silent on the other end. So I'm excited. He's blown away. And then he, maybe in a couple seconds, maybe even less than a minute later, he said, Leland, I need to get off the phone. I need to process this.

He said, what's that? And I just kind of ran straight through it. I said, her name is Carol Briggs. And when I asked her who was my dad, she said, I just ran straight just like that. And it was silent on the other end. So I'm excited. He's blown away. And then he, maybe in a couple seconds, maybe even less than a minute later, he said, Leland, I need to get off the phone. I need to process this.

He said, what's that? And I just kind of ran straight through it. I said, her name is Carol Briggs. And when I asked her who was my dad, she said, I just ran straight just like that. And it was silent on the other end. So I'm excited. He's blown away. And then he, maybe in a couple seconds, maybe even less than a minute later, he said, Leland, I need to get off the phone. I need to process this.

I initially took that as a blow. But then I quickly flipped because he sent me a text here a little bit later on. And he said, hey, man, Carol knew she had a baby. You knew you had parents out there. I knew nothing.

I initially took that as a blow. But then I quickly flipped because he sent me a text here a little bit later on. And he said, hey, man, Carol knew she had a baby. You knew you had parents out there. I knew nothing.

I initially took that as a blow. But then I quickly flipped because he sent me a text here a little bit later on. And he said, hey, man, Carol knew she had a baby. You knew you had parents out there. I knew nothing.

And when Dylan gets to the doorstep... I get up on the porch, and he opens the door. He just said, my son. And it was like, oh, the tears start rolling again. Because I'd never been referred to as somebody's son. He embraced me fully, four arms wide open, and said, my son. He embraced me, and it was, here we go.

And when Dylan gets to the doorstep... I get up on the porch, and he opens the door. He just said, my son. And it was like, oh, the tears start rolling again. Because I'd never been referred to as somebody's son. He embraced me fully, four arms wide open, and said, my son. He embraced me, and it was, here we go.

And when Dylan gets to the doorstep... I get up on the porch, and he opens the door. He just said, my son. And it was like, oh, the tears start rolling again. Because I'd never been referred to as somebody's son. He embraced me fully, four arms wide open, and said, my son. He embraced me, and it was, here we go.

It's surreal. I mean, it really is. We both from Youngstown. We both went to Miami. We both go into the Hall of Fame at Miami. We both go and play pro ball. We both our careers end because of knee injuries. Both of us, right after playing football, go into education. Both of our first jobs in college was at Miami. Our next job was both in the Big Ten.

It's surreal. I mean, it really is. We both from Youngstown. We both went to Miami. We both go into the Hall of Fame at Miami. We both go and play pro ball. We both our careers end because of knee injuries. Both of us, right after playing football, go into education. Both of our first jobs in college was at Miami. Our next job was both in the Big Ten.

It's surreal. I mean, it really is. We both from Youngstown. We both went to Miami. We both go into the Hall of Fame at Miami. We both go and play pro ball. We both our careers end because of knee injuries. Both of us, right after playing football, go into education. Both of our first jobs in college was at Miami. Our next job was both in the Big Ten.

Like in the beginning, one of the staff meetings, Coach Carroll, you know, he'd go into his thing and he just looked down and he said, hey, you know what? Something's going on here. He said, we're sitting up watching you two guys looking across the field at you guys working with the running backs. You guys walk the same, point the same, talk the same. He said, it's just crazy. And we just laughed.

Like in the beginning, one of the staff meetings, Coach Carroll, you know, he'd go into his thing and he just looked down and he said, hey, you know what? Something's going on here. He said, we're sitting up watching you two guys looking across the field at you guys working with the running backs. You guys walk the same, point the same, talk the same. He said, it's just crazy. And we just laughed.

Like in the beginning, one of the staff meetings, Coach Carroll, you know, he'd go into his thing and he just looked down and he said, hey, you know what? Something's going on here. He said, we're sitting up watching you two guys looking across the field at you guys working with the running backs. You guys walk the same, point the same, talk the same. He said, it's just crazy. And we just laughed.

Sarah, thank you for making the choice to do this with me. It's been a real pleasure.