Ferris High School defensive lineman Amauri Younger is among 10 Week 1 nominees for USA Football’s “Heart of a Giant Award.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“USA Football’s Heart Of A Giant is presented by Hospital for Special Surgery and the New York Giants,” their website explains.
“This award program seeks to find and highlight Tri-State high school athletes, student managers, student mascots or other designated student team members who demonstrate that extra something special. The ones that have a relentless work ethic and unmatched love for the game.”
Younger, who six-foot, one-inch tall senior, said he embodies determination, citing his battle against Rhabdomyolysis – a condition that causes skeletal muscle to break down rapidly.
“My diagnosis of Rhabdomyolysis was very difficult for me to accept at first. I was an active kid one minute with a personal trainer, and then in a hospital with an IV drip the next. I was prohibited from doing the things I enjoyed most, football and swimming,” he told USA Football.
“After the doctors explained how this condition affects the body, I set a goal of learning more about the condition, but even more so about my body, and how to understand what it needs and when it needs it most.”
He added that football has helped him build resilience and to lead by example and accountability. Younger also volunteers to distribute meals on Thanksgiving, as well as donating personal care items to a local shelter, in Jersey City.
“My motto is ‘sometimes you have to get out of your own way to accomplish your goals, don’t block your own blessings,'” he concluded.
In total, 60 nominees will be selected this football season, with 11 finalists receiving a $1,000 equipment grant for their high school football program and the grand prize winner receiving a $10,000 equipment grant for their team, along with a USA Football Heart of a Giant trophy to be presented at a New York Giants home game in December.
Those looking to vote in the contest can do so here.
