MAKING MARY PORTER PROUD
“THERE’S NO QUESTION IN MY MIND I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM… HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR HER”
"It’s about putting in the work. And having the right people on your team to inspire you."
For Shannon Sharpe, that was his grandmother, Mary Porter. Much more than just the woman who raised him, she was the woman who instilled in Shannon the tireless work ethic and drive for success that made him who he is today.
Growing up in Glenville, Georgia, Shannon recalled hearing Mary talk about how hard she had worked to provide for her own nine children. It wasn’t easy growing up in their 1,000 square foot cinder block home, but there was an unspoken devotion to one.
“I became the player, I became the person, I became the man that I am because of that 1,000 square foot cinder block home.”
Playing football and giving something back to the woman who had given them everything.
Mary didn’t have dreams of big jewelry or fancy cars – she simply told Shannon about her wish to sleep through a night of heavy rain and wake up completely dry. She didn’t have her sights on some place palatial, just her own idea of a decent home.
Sometimes, it’s the simple things that mean the most to the people we care about. And achieving those seemingly small successes with their support can mean everything. Le Portier honors the bond between family, the drive for success, and the woman who made it all possible – Mary Porter.