Awesome Stories to Make You Love Sports Even More, Part 2

If you missed Part 1 of our awesome sports stories, don't forget to check it out. 

Today, we continue on with Part 2, including 13 more heartwarming stories that will remind you of the power of sports. Sports can provide inspiration, they can be emotional and they can truly bring out the best in people.

These stories will make you love sports even more. 

Isaiah Austin

Jason DeCrow/Associated Press

Isaiah Austin was once a promising NBA prospect. But suddenly, during his physical for the 2014 NBA draft, it was discovered that the Baylor sophomore has Marfan syndrome. The diagnosis meant the end of his playing career.

Just days later at the draft, commissioner Adam Silver announced that the NBA would like to select Austin with a ceremonial pick. Silver offered Austin a job with the NBA, which he plans to accept upon graduation.

Levi’s Last Shot

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Carissa Henry, a high school librarian from Trenton, Georgia, shared a truly inspirational sports story with The Huffington Post.

The story is about Levi, a 4'8" senior on the high school basketball team. Levi struggles with running because of an abnormal curvature of his legs. Despite his challenges, Henry calls Levi one of the hardest workers on the team. She also said that his work ethic and endless support are a consistent inspiration to all who know him.

Levi had hardly played all year, but on senior night, with the game locked up for the home team, he came into the game. He scored the final basket and was showered with a thunderous ovation.

Apollos Hester

Sports are great because of the raw emotion they can often incite. One high school football player inspired a nation in September 2014 when his impassioned postgame interview swept through the Internet.

Apollos Hester, a wide receiver at East View High School is Texas, was fired up after his team’s comeback win. He told Lauren Mickler of TWC Austin, “You can do anything you put your mind to. Never give up on your dreams. Keep smiling no matter what you’re going through. If you fall down, just get up.”

He said that, along with a myriad of other motivational gems. This interview is definitely worth a watch.

Dad Comes Home

Stories of our military members coming home safely to their families are always heartwarming and meaningful.

There are so many wonderful surprise “welcome home” moments. This one of a Navy sailor surprising his seven-year-old daughter at a high school football game is particularly moving.

Anthony Ianni

Tim Burke/Associated Press

Anthony Ianni grew up with autism. When he was young, doctors told his parents that he would never graduate from college. He faced bullying and adversity throughout much of his childhood.

Not only did he graduate college, but he played basketball at Michigan State University for Tom Izzo. Ianni was the first known athlete with autism to play Big Ten basketball. During his time as a Spartan, he was a part of two Big Ten championship teams, and he had a chance to play in the Final Four.

Now, Ianni works for the Autism Alliance of Michigan as an anti-bullying advocate and motivational speaker.  

Derrick Coleman

Derrick Coleman, fullback for the Seattle Seahawks, is just the third deaf player in NFL history.

Coleman’s story, as told by Tom Friend of ESPN.com (and by this awesome Duracell commercial), is one of overcoming adversity. After being bullied as a young child in school, Coleman began his football journey in seventh grade. He used lip reading on the football field and eventually became the starting tailback as a sophomore in high school. 

He went on to play college football at UCLA, and despite going undrafted in 2012, he has become a successful NFL player under Pete Carroll—and he's a Super Bowl champion.

“What football did was save my life,” Coleman told Friend.

Buccaneers Sign Eric LeGrand

Mel Evans/Associated Press

Many know the story of Eric LeGrand, the former Rutgers defensive tackle who suffered a severe spinal cord injury during a game in 2010. LeGrand was paralyzed from the neck down, but through extensive rehab in recent years, he has been able to regain some sensation.

In the years since his injury, LeGrand has become a motivational speaker and a broadcaster for the Rutgers Football Radio Network. Also, in 2012, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed LeGrand to a ceremonial contract. At the time, Greg Schiano was the head coach in Tampa, and he had also coached LeGrand at Rutgers.

Aaron Gebhart

Michael Thomas/Associated Press

Aaron Gebhart faced a tough childhood, according to Adam Michael of the York Daily Record. With his father facing legal troubles and his mother battling issues with alcohol, Gebhart had trouble sleeping and missed a lot of school.

Then in sixth grade, Gebhart moved in with his aunt and uncle and joined the track team at school. As a freshman in high school, he set the varsity record in the 3,200-meter run.

In 2014, Gebhart won a contest put on by USA Today—the National Guard Most Inspirational Athlete contest. “It's so nice to have something that I'm passionate about and can look forward to every day,” Gebhart told Michael about running. “I think about running everyday and wouldn't give it up for anything.”

J.J. Watt Proposal

In 2013, a six-year-old girl named Breanna was caught on film, very distraught after her mother told her she couldn’t marry J.J. Watt.

The Houston Texans defensive end caught wind of Breanna’s distress and decided to do something about it. He found out where he could find her and arranged a fake proposal, complete with flowers and a ring pop.

Watt posted photos of the adorable proposal on his Twitter account.

Nathan Grogan

When Nathan Grogan of Wilmington, North Carolina, was four years old, he was diagnosed with cancer. Steve Miller heard about Nathan’s fight and wanted to help.

Miller plays for the Wilmington Hammerheads, the local professional soccer team. He visits Nathan whenever he gets a chance, and Nathan attends games. Miller and Nathan have become like family.

Nathan’s mother, Lisa Grogan, told Kaitlin Stansell of WECT TV6, “It's helped him to feel special and extra loved. He's a Hammerheads soccer player, so that's super special too, but I think even if he weren't, Nathan just loves him so much that I think they'll always be a part of each other's lives."

Mallory Holtman

In 2008, Western Oregon and Central Washington met for a softball doubleheader with postseason implications.

During the second game, Western Oregon senior Sara Tucholsky hit a home run but was unable to make it around the bases. After missing the bag at first, she stopped to go back, but her knee gave out.

Since Tusholsky's own teammates weren’t allowed to help her around the bases, Central Washington senior Mallory Holtman stepped up. She and teammate Liz Wallace carried their opponent around the bases, stopping so she could touch each one, and finally stopped at home plate.

The girls received widespread acclaim for their sportsmanship, but Holtman told Graham Hays of ESPN.com, “Honestly, it's one of those things that I hope anyone would do it for me.”

The home run is around the 0:55 mark in the video.

Noah Wilson and Joe Torre

USA TODAY Sports

Noah Wilson is a six-year-old cancer patient, and he’s a huge Kansas City Royals fan. His parents worked hard to raise enough money for Noah to attend a World Series game. According to MLB Fan Cave, they successfully raised thousands of dollars, but it tuned out they didn’t need to use it for baseball tickets.

Joe Torre tweeted the good news that MLB would be inviting Noah and his family to attend, free of charge.

Lauren Hill

Lauren Hill is a freshman at Mount St. Joseph University, and she has terminal brain cancer. In September, Hill’s doctors gave her just a few months to live. 

Her dream to play college basketball came true recently when her team played Hiram College. The two schools agreed to play their season opener earlier than scheduled in order to give Lauren a better chance to play. Hill scored four points in a win, including the first layup of the game.

Her inspiring story has generated an outpouring of support—an Instagram post from LeBron James, an award from Pat Summitt and even her own image on a Wheaties box.