WARSAW — Maurice Clarett was the the featured speaker at the second annual “The Big Celebration” Wednesday, Nov. 11. The event was a benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters serving Kosciusko County. The celebration was attended by approximately 220 and included over 30 items in a silent auction.

Maurice Clarett, running back for Ohio State University, was guest speaker.

Clarett spoke of his brush with the law starting as a juvenile — detailing his time in a juvenile facility, breaking into homes and even becoming involved with a robbery. He was sentenced for seven years in adult prison after a police chase and robbery occurred.

He did get involved in AAU basketball and football and was out of trouble for a year and excelled at the sports. But he didn’t take it seriously as no one in his neighborhood went “anywhere in basketball and football.” A high school football coach came to him several times offering assistance away from the path he was headed. He ignored the help the first time. The second time, the coach was able to get him on home detention and transported him back and forth daily to the weight room and football conditioning. “This was a far cry from what I was used to,” said Clarett.

He fell in love with football when he was 14 years old. His aggression towards life experiences were taken out on the field. He was good in football, but his behavior and thinking never changed, catching up with him later in life.

Clarett became a football fanatic in high school. Colleges began contacting him. His junior year was more successful than he expected and his senior year he won every award he could win as an individual. He graduated early in 2002 and the only thing on his mind was going to Ohio State, play three years of college football before going to the NFL.

After his first game at Ohio State he was no longer “Joe Blow” he was “Mr. Everything.” His popularity and fame “was an infectious feeling.” His mind changed from focusing on football to his newfound fame. He began partying more, skipping classes. After winning the national championship, he said that was another point where his life changed. He now calls it a “disaster.”

At 19 he was successful. But at the start of his second year at OSU, the NCAA launched an investigation and found numerous violations. “At that moment I had never experienced life stress,” he said adding he didn’t know how to handle it so went back to partying and became involved in drugs. “My life was turning into shambles.”

After becoming eligible in 2005, he was drafted by the Denver Broncos, but he didn’t want to practice. After being cut from the Broncos, he called old friends and was back on the streets, hustling, until being caught for a robbery and arrested in 2006. Just like the ESPN film of his life “Youngstown Boys” he had an AK-47 with him as he ran from police and was nearing the country. His life was at a low point. Instead of taking his life in a shoot out, he gave up and was tasered and maced.

Undergoing a mental health evaluation in prison, he was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. He had time on his hands, 23 hours of lock down. He began to read, which opened his mind to the pursuit of knowledge. He bought magazines on finances and different areas, he took correspondence college courses and he started teaching classes in prison.

In 2010 after he was released he began working with the Ohio State United Football league in Omaha. He took a finance class weekly and through a friend, met Warren Buffet, spending five hours of “time rapping back and fourth.” He was befriended by a minister, who helped him with life skills and about Christ. He gave his life to the Lord in June 2012.

ESPN’s story on Clarett, “Youngstown Boys,” brought thousands of emails and his life changed.

“I didn’t give up, but I didn’t possess the skills I needed … surrounded by better people.” Today, he owns several businesses.

To learn more about Clarett’s story watch “Youngstown Boys,” which premiered in 2013.