MEMPHIS, Tenn. — On game days, Showboats center Jared Thomas is the definition of toughness - putting his body on the line to block for his quarterback. But at age 16, he couldn't block out his mother's near-death experience and felt anything but tough.
"I was just stressed out because I didn't want anything to happen to her, so it was just a feeling like, you're helpless, and you have no control of the situation," Jared said.
On a Friday night in December 2012, instead of sitting in the stands and watching Jared play in his high school basketball season opener, April was in hospital undergoing a double bypass surgery because of a 90% block doctors found in the main artery of her heart.
"It's been a journey. I'm [on] 12 years being a heart survivor, and I have the scars to prove it. But I look at life differently," April said. "You only live once."
That day in December not only shaped the way April looked at every day, but also became Jared's motivation to succeed.
"I think there are so many layers to chasing the dream, but you can't talk about me personally and my journey with football and not talk about something like this," Jared said.
After the surgery, April couldn't watch a live sports event for at least six months. Now every time she watches Jared step on the field, she treasures it.
"If I waited a couple more days, I wouldn't have been able to witness it. So, I'm always in a proud mama moment, so it feels good," April said.
"If I have the best game ever or have a rough one, she's still there at the end of the day to tell me how great I was," Jared said.
While Jared dreams of playing on NFL Sundays one day, this Sunday, his only focus is his mom.
"I think it's a very special holiday because I don't think this world can actually exist without the power of the moms," Jared said.
The day before Mother's Day, Jared and the rest of the Showboats will look to keep their playoff hopes alive as they play at Arlington at Arlington Renegades at 12 p.m. You can watch the game on ESPN, and ABC24 will recap how it plays out that night.