The moment he hit the ground on a cool fall evening in 2005, Dutchtown's Drexel "Deuce" Perkins knew something was wrong, seriously wrong. The pain in his right leg was deeper, sharper, than any he had felt in his ten years of playing the game he lived for. And the pain didn't restrict itself to his leg. This pain went clear through to his heart. This was not supposed to be. This was his senior year, his time to shine. He had already endured so much in preparation for his chance at stardom. Major football powers like Miami of Florida and Southern Mississippi and others had contacted him. Their interest had motivated him to work hard. He felt his lifelong dream to play major college football was within reach. He refused to believe it could all be gone in a flash.

Drexel had done things the right way all along. As a result he had been appointed permanent Team Captain of the Dutchtown Griffins. His parents, Dan and Debbie Perkins, had raised him with humility and had taught him to work for what he wanted. He was expected to perform in the classroom and they instilled in him that faith in God was the way to happiness. His brother Dante' had set a good example of following their guidance. They were good people who worked hard and did the right things.

So Drexel picked himself up and tried to go. He tried to rehab. He kept his head up and his outlook positive. He continued to work but the torn quad in his right thigh would eventually take away the dream of a spectacular senior year and possibly a football scholarship.

There is no question that Drexel was down. He temporarily lost focus. His personality changed. His schoolwork suffered, and the entire Perkins family reeled. But not for long, it wasn't their nature to whine, and soon strengthened by their faith, they got to work and on the road to recovery