It’s not unusual to see athletes take care of their parents when they hit the big time, but Amari Cooper buying his mom a house and a car had a little extra impact.
There’s more to this moment than just what Cooper posted on Instagram. He grew up in the Liberty City neighborhood, a housing project in North Miami. It was a difficult environment, and the significance of the car in particular is rooted in a story he told during the 2014 Heisman Trophy broadcast.
Michelle Green, Cooper’s mother, did everything she could for her son. She worked multiple jobs, took extra shifts, and did it all without a car. Green would walk miles to and from work, as well as picking up groceries.
Cooper recalled a childhood story when he told his mom he was too tired to go with her to the store, so she walked the three miles there alone and carried back everything herself. Cooper was ashamed of himself for not walking with her, especially when he noticed the marks on his mother’s arms from carrying those heavy bags. It stuck with him.
"I just kept it to myself. It was just an example of how hard she worked, her getting off work so late or working so hard all ready. She sacrificed for us. You want to know how much somebody loves you, just look at how much they sacrifice."
On Monday he was finally able to pay back all that hard work.
I grew up in the projects, we didn't even own a car.. The whole story is way too long and melancholic, but just know a dream can go a long way if it's followed by faith and hard work. It took us 20+ years but now my mother has the house and car of her dreams. You deserve it mama, I love you. #JustTheBeginning