Jayson Tatum shared a story about his mom’s sacrifice. He said that when he was little, his mom had him when she was just 19 years old, while she was still a freshman in college. She was determined not to become another statistic, so she worked hard to finish school and avoid welfare.
To make it work, she took Jayson with her to class. From when he was a baby until he was about eight years old, he went to school with her. He would sit quietly in the back, either eating snacks, reading, or playing video games. Most of the time, he didn’t pay much attention to the professors, but he was there with his mom, and that felt normal to him. When she couldn’t afford a babysitter, he would go to class with her.
By the time Jayson was in sixth grade, his mom had earned both her bachelor’s and law degrees from St. Louis University. He remembers her graduation day clearly. When her name was called, Jayson stood up in his dress shirt and pants and shouted, “I love you! I’m proud of you!” Afterward, he told her, “You did it!” But she corrected him, saying, “We did it.”
Jayson also remembered nights when they both did homework together at the dining room table. She would cook dinner while he asked for help with his math. His mom was really good at math and always found ways to explain things clearly. After she’d tuck him in at night, she’d go back to studying for her own classes, staying up late to make sure she was on top of her work.
She often told him, “Jay, don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t be. No matter what.”
