Mentor from past leads veteran to become positive influence
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It’s not every day that you have a former first round draft pick and three-time NFL Pro-Bowler greet veterans at HVAF of Indiana. On Wednesday, Tarik Glenn, offensive tackle who played for the Indianapolis Colts, shared his on and off-the-field life lessons to more than two dozen veterans at HVAF. He drew several similarities between athletes and soldiers in their drive to be goal-oriented, but cautioned that this can sometimes cause isolation.
Tarik encouraged veterans to live a life of purpose by engaging in activities that promote a healthy lifestyle. Tarik said he had to change his own diet to a healthier one following his 2008 retirement from the Indianapolis Colts. Secondly, Tarik told the veterans to fight for relationships in your life and understand how your contribution can help others. The former Colts player said his wife is his number one teammate and echoed that relationships re crucial to make you a better person and sharpen you. Lastly, Tarik spoke of the importance to fight to live. He recalled a time when his pastor told him that while it’s important to have goals, you must live for the day and make each day count. Tarik knew he wanted to be a great offensive lineman, but in doing so he’d have to do his best that day at practice.
Tarik uses these life lessons in shaping his nonprofit, D.R.E.A.M. Alive Inc., an after-school mentoring program that supports at-risk schools and families by engaging 7th-12th graders in community service-learning opportunities. Tarik is also a full-time dad of four.
