b'CHARMEACHELLE MIKE MOORE:TACKLING ADVERSITY AND ATTACKING LIFEBy Alicia WanekIN 2014, A FULL-BODY MRI FOR UNRELATED ISSUES WITH HIS KIDNEY REVEALED TO THE KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY JUNIORTHAT HE HAD A BRAIN TUMOR.IT EXPLAINED THE VISUAL DIFFICULTIES AND DIZZINESS HED BEEN EXPERIENCING, BUT THE DIAGNOSIS WAS DEVASTATING.THE DOCTOR WARNED HIM THAT ONE GOOD HIT ON THE FIELD COULD LEAD TO PARALYSIS OR DEATH.FOOTBALL WAS HIS LIFE; IT WAS HIS FUTURE.WHO WOULD HE BE WITHOUT IT?If this were a story about a baseball player, the analogy would be about life throwing some major curve balls, but this is the story of a football player. If this were the story of a different man, the story may have ended in 2015, but for Mike Moore, his story is just beginning.ForCharmeachelle(pronouncedSher-MIKE-Q-well)Mike Moore, football was as much a part of his life as eating and sleeping. A Texas top 100 player, hed been recruited heavily while at Skyline High School in South Dallas and was thrilled to be a part of the Kansas State Wildcats team.But in 2015, Mike learned that life can turn on a dime.If he didnt learn that lesson in April when he had surgery for a brain tumor, he learned it in September when his father died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of just 47.Mike had to re-evaluate his priorities, his identity, and his approach to life.I know what its like to hit rock bottom, he says.I felt so alone.In his worst days, he even considered ending his own life, but the lessons hed learned from his father and his commitment to his own young children carried him through, and hes spent the last few years proving that you can rise above adversity that comes your way. Footballtaughtmestructureandcommitment,Mikesays, and he knew that was how hed get to go to college.His father, Charmeachelle Sr., had played college ball at Baylor, and he instilled the love of the game in his son.His parents worked long hours toLife isnt over when you go provide for Mike, his older brother Chris, and his younger sisterthrough something. Life is all LaPortia.His dad owned his own landscaping company and hadabout transitions.Mike helping cut grass when he was just five years old. His mom -Mike Mooreworked in banking until a diagnosis of Graves disease led to early retirement.As a child, Mike remembers hearing his parents telling him and his siblings, Dont become a victim of what you signed upFootball was his life; it was his future.Who would he be without it? for, Be able to adjust on the fly, and Attack lifedont let it comeHe was a young father and was counting on football to provide for to you.Those words of wisdom stuck with him and carried himhis family.He finally found a surgeon who would operate without through some dark times.opening his skull, and on April 17, 2015, his dad was with him as he In 2014, a full-body MRI for unrelated issues with his kidneywent into surgery.It was a difficult recovery, and his parents were revealed to the college junior that he had a brain tumor.It explainedwith him every step of the way.thevisualdifficultiesanddizzinesshedbeenexperiencing,Then just five months later, he was called into his coachs office butthediagnosiswasdevastating.Thedoctorwarnedhimand told he needed to get back to Dallas right away.At first he that one good hit on the field could lead to paralysis or death.couldnt reach his family to find out what was going on, but finally 14GoodLifeFamilyMag.comMAY | JUNE 2019'