What is a mom to a son? A protector? A confidant? A nurturer? What about an MVP? What would you say if I told you that superstars in two different sports attribute a large part of their success to their moms? Well, it isn’t fiction! Find out about these moms who are unsung MVPs to their sons.
Bryce Harper, star outfielder for the Washington Nationals, recently won the NL MVP. At just 22 years old, he had one of the best seasons as a hitter in baseball history. While he has been known to be brash and arrogant on the field, he was gracious and humble during his MVP acceptance speech. He thanked his dad for helping him become the athlete he is today. However, it was his mom that he thanked for shaping him to be the person he has become.
“Mama, you showed me how to have heart, how to care. How to be the best person off the field. She keeps this family going, and strong and always reiterates ‘remember who you are’ every time I walk out the door. She sacrificed so much and I can’t thank her enough.”
(Sue Ogrocki / AP)Another elite athlete also recognized his mom during his MVP speech. Kevin Durant, star forward for Oklahoma City Thunder, won MVP honors in the 2013-2014 NBA season. While his personality is known to be reserved compared to Bryce Harper, he gave much credit to his mom for being the person he is today.
“Everybody told us we weren’t supposed to be here, we moved from apartment to apartment by ourselves,” he said. “One my best memories I have is when we moved into our first apartment. No bed, no furniture, we all just sat in the living room and just hugged each other, because we thought we made it. […] We wasn’t supposed to be here. You made us believe, you kept us off the street, put clothes on our backs, food on the table. When you didn’t eat, you made sure we ate. You went to sleep hungry. You sacrificed for us. You’re the real MVP.”
Moms and their children have special bonds that go beyond the words used to describe them. The maternal instincts are powerful and they are not be to taken lightly. Moms provide hope in tough times and make sure our dreams are not lost. Even though the two athletes above are millionaires and garner the attention of hundreds of thousands of fans, it was important for them to give credit to their moms for the roles they have had in their success.
We all may not be athletes but our moms are our MVPs. Share with us how your mom (young or old) is your MVP. We will choose a few moms to highlight in the future!
