DeAndre Hopkins has been a successful wide receiver in the NFL for more than a decade now. And one of the main reasons for his success has been the kind of constant love and support he has received from his mother.
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In the past, Hopkins has gone on to credit his mother for toiling during his journey to success. And now his mother, Sabrina Greenlee opened up about the kind of struggles she has been through on the Pivot Podcast. In a powerful conversation with Ryan Clark, the single mother allowed herself to be vulnerable so that millions watching can be inspired and learn from her journey.
The WR’s mom spoke about the hardships she faced as a youngster. Like many young women, she was also subjected to a traumatic experience. She narrates:
“I was s*xually assaulted by a pastor when I was 10 years old. I think in the beginning that just was like a domino effect of my innocence being taken from my vulnerability. So in that instance, I learned how to lie, manipulate, and deceive. I come from the background of you know what goes on in home, stays in home. So a lot I think a lot of that had to do with me just not being able to trust people.”
Sabrina connected her lack of proper acceptance at home led her to having a string of abusive relationships later in life. In fact, her first-ever relationship led to an abusive one that even went on to become a marriage.
The tough battles of Sabrina Greenlee
As a young teen, Sabrina herself got into a relationship that had abusive patterns. While speaking on the Pivot Podcast, she spoke about how there would be days when she’d show up to school with bruises and marks. However, due to her past trauma, she ended up marrying her abuser. This man was DeAndre’s father.
While DeAndre’s father soon passed away after his birth in a car accident, she faced more abuse as she became the victim of a boiling concoction of lye and bleach being thrown at her face by a woman involved with her boyfriend. This incident even caused her to lose sight. But despite such hardships, Sabrina persevered.
The single mother raised all her children single-handedly. As a parent, she highlighted the importance of discipline and sticking to rules. She instilled an impeccable commitment in her children, especially DeAndre. Moreover, she made it a point to teach her children the importance of treating a woman the right way. And to this day, DeAndre honors his mother. And his mother has done well for herself as well.
Apart from having a son in the NFL, Sabrina has succeeded in becoming an author, community activist, inspirational speaker, and a huge voice against domestic violence. Today, she is doing her best to help those who might suffer from the same plight she did. While she might not have received a lot of support as a young woman, Sabrina is making sure that those like her do receive a helping hand.
