Posted on 04/30/2010 4:26:42 PM PDT by mlizzy
It's why he accepted a position switch when others might have transferred. It's why the quarterback-turned-receiver who led the nation with 155 receptions and 19 touchdowns last season wasn't bitter when 255 players had been drafted by the NFL and he wasn't among them.
It's why he considers his against-the-odds opportunity to make the Bears' roster -- a journey that begins today at a three-day rookie minicamp at Halas Hall -- ''a dream come true.''
''It has everything to do with my maturity level as a 23-year-old man,'' ex-Bowling Green receiver and Homewood-Flossmoor standout Freddie Barnes said. ''People looked down at her. As she grew, I grew.''
Learning how she saved his life changed him forever.
His mother became pregnant at 14. It was decided that the straight-A student at Gwendolyn Brooks Junior High in Harvey would have an abortion. It wasn't until doctors were beginning the procedure that she leapt from the table, grabbed her clothes and fled.
''I couldn't do it,'' Clarissa Charles said. ''I told my mom I was going to have this baby. I had no idea what I was headed for, but I was determined.''
When his mother finally shared her story, he realized he had been given a mission in life.
''I always felt there was a plan for my life because my mom could have aborted me,'' he said. ''That planted a seed in my head: Maybe I'm here for a reason. From that point on, when bad situations took place, I always came out without a scratch, like God was protecting me because I had a purpose on this earth, and it's to give back to the community and teach others what I've learned.''
Barnes was recruited to Bowling Green as a quarterback after teaming with current New Orleans Hornets star Julian Wright to lead Homewood-Flossmoor to the 2004 Class AA state basketball finals his senior year. When pressed into duty as a redshirt freshman, he completed 12 of 19 passes and rushed for 158 yards and three touchdowns in a 2006 loss to Wisconsin.
He was too reliable a playmaker to remain on the sideline when the starting quarterback returned from a suspension. They switched him to running back, then to receiver, and he was a force his sophomore season.
''Playing quarterback, you have to account for yourself and everybody else on the field,'' he said. ''It's easier at receiver because I can just focus on my job. The most frustrating part is not having total control and being able to talk to the offensive linemen and running backs when I think I need to. But it's much easier to run routes and read defenses because I've done it on a much larger scale.''
What stands out most about the 6-foot, 210-pounder is how he always seems open, even when defenses are determined to stop him, which explains how he caught 10 or more passes and had 100 or more receiving yards in nine of 13 games. He had 22 catches and 278 yards against Kent State and 17 catches for 219 yards in the Humanitarian Bowl.
He's a smart, instinctive player who hopes to find a niche in coordinator Mike Martz's offense.
''Since he understands the game, it's easier for him to excel physically and athletically,'' said his former youth coach, Kevin Lucas, who remains a friend. ''He has an advantage on a lot of guys because some guys are so athletic, they rely mainly on their physical ability. Whereas Freddie is a good athlete, but because he has a high football IQ, he understands how to deceive somebody and make them think he's going one way and then go the other. That's what he excels at.''
Clarissa, meanwhile, worked by day and earned a bachelor's degree in business by night while raising Freddie and his younger sister, Cayla. Now a fashion designer planning to launch her own line this summer, she openly discusses the low self-esteem and shame she felt during and after the pregnancy, hoping to serve as an example to others. That's also why she told her son what she thought he deserved to know.
''I shared with my children what I thought they could handle at an age-appropriate time,'' she said. ''I didn't want to shield them from the outside world. I protected them, but I didn't want them to think they had a fairy-tale life. I wanted them to pursue their education and break the cycle of teen pregnancy and lack of generational education.''
Barnes has made her mission his.
''It's my job to help other young men because a lot of them don't know what they need to do to succeed,'' he said. ''I can help provide them with the resources.''
I'm sure the abortionist reported the girl to authorities for investigation of possible statutory rape and incest.
thanks for posting
He will become a personal hero to many people in his lifetime.
What a heart-warming story! Thank you for sharing it.
I hope many women who are unexpectedly expecting see this story and “bolt” from the table themselves (or, better yet, decide for Life a little sooner). What a beautiful family! And Freddie Barnes is right. We all have a “mission” in life.
Wow. I love these stories. God bless them both.
Not sure exactly what that means, but it sounds like a Payton Manning characteristic!
Good insight! I am happy for them both, and hope their story receives wide and positive attention.
All of God’s children are precious, and Christ’s Passion is meant to bring eternal life to each and every one of them!
God bless her! God bless him!! And it sounds like he has.
Very cool.
And thanks to you for a GREAT POST!
I’ll be rooting for this fellow in every game. And his mom sounds quite smart too, it’s easy to see she was a straight-A student.
Bless her for her choice and for telling the world her story.
Wonderful story! Thank you!
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