YOUNG FOREVER: Mom of Redblacks linebacker Troy Young lives on in memories

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For Troy Young, nothing can never erase the pain and heartbreak he felt as a seven-year-old child.

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A linebacker for the Ottawa Redblacks, Young saw his mother, Valencia, murdered – shot five times. Swallowed by darkness, his life could have gone in a lot of directions. In life’s worst moment, family and faith pulled Troy and his younger brother Dylon through. Fast-forward 16 years. In another country, the 23-year-old Young is getting his first chance at being a professional football player. But before talking about the now, it’s important to understand the then.

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On July 17, 2006 in Mobile, AL., Valencia Young was gunned down, while Troy and Dylon, then two, sat on a bed. The seven-year-old called 911 and held his mother until paramedics and police arrived. News reports said an ex-boyfriend – Jarrod Brown – was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder.

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“I remember it all, I saw everything,” said Young. “I learned that God gives his toughest battles from him to the toughest shoulders. I am who I am now because of it.”

Valencia Young, who had studied criminal justice at Alabama State, had taken a job at a call center so she could take care of her children. She was 26.

“My mom was a very trusting person. She loved everyone,” said Young. “She was always the life of the party. There would be cookouts, she loved to bake. She’d bring a cake, she’d bring cookies. The cookout didn’t really start until she got there. Something else I remember – every time I left the house, she told me to be good. It was like, ‘When you go out, you’re a reflection of me. So whatever you’re doing, you have to be good at it.’ That was one of the biggest things I took to this day. I have a ‘be-good’ place in my head every day – be someone other people can look up to.”

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The brothers moved in with their grandmother – Yolanda Young. Their aunt Tabitha was another big influence as the boys grew into men.

In a way, every day is Mother’s Day for Young, who is appreciative of those who have helped shape his soul and his heart. He has tattoos on each arm: “Young” on one arm. “Forever” on the other.

“Mother’s Day hit me pretty hard (this year),” said Young. I let my grandma and auntie know I’m so thankful. I put some roses in the river and watched them go down the stream. I wanted to make sure my mom knows I’m always thinking about her. She’s buried in Mobile. When I get home, I take an hour or two out of my day and spend some time with her.”

As part of his recovery, Young had counseling on how to deal with the trauma.

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“Mental health is a big thing,” he said. “I’ve gone to therapists, I’ve talked to people. I try not to relive it every day but you can’t really get it off your mind.”

Young started playing football when he was four. It was love at first sight. Coaches became mentors, father figures, as he became a special player and, just as importantly, a special person. In high school, at Mobile Christian, he was terrific on both offense and defense. He then played three seasons at the University of Arizona, before entering the transfer portal and finishing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. When no NFL opportunity came, I signed with the Redblacks.

“Football in the south is another religion,” he said. “The more I played it, the more the love for the game grew. I’ve been playing for so long. I feel like I really can’t do anything else at this point.”

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As training camp heads into the final stretch, the Redblacks are evaluating last week’s 23-17 pre-season win over the Toronto Argos – a stunning finish with the home side scoring 16 unanswered points in the final 4 1/2 minutes – and looking ahead to Friday’s game in Montreal. Newcomers like Young will get the bulk of the work against the Alouettes, with many of the veterans expected to sit.

Young has been asked to transition from safety to linebacker. There’s still plenty of bodies on the depth chart, but he’s never backed down from a challenge.

“I got here and my name was on the board as a linebacker,” he said. “I’m excited about it. I feel like I can be pretty good at it. The vets are helping me learn how to play the position. One of the biggest changes is reaction time; as a safety you can see the whole field – you see what’s coming towards you. At linebacker, you have to read your keys a lot faster. It’s a big change, but it’s still all football – you still have to lay the boom, you still have to make tackles.

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“I’m up for this challenge. I’ve been through a very traumatic past. So I’m able to deal with anything. Things get tough at times, but I can always look back and think, ‘Nothing can touch the pain I felt back then.’ That always pushes me.”

THE END AROUND: Plenty of transactions for the Redblacks to report, including putting receiver Ryan Davis and DB Treshaun Abrahams-Webster on the six-game injured list. Signed are DB Marloshawn Franklin and DL Will Kiely. Released are: OL Andrew Pickett and Justice Powers, RB Sirgeo Hoffman, WR Jordan Smallwood and Anthony Mahoungou, DL Howard Stephens, LB Dwayne Norman, Xavier Woodson Luster and Jersey Henry. Asked about Davis, who had 589 yards in catches in his rookie season, Redblacks head coach Paul LaPolice said: “He tweaked (his lower leg) during one of his returns from him. It was hurting him most of the quarter and you could see it getting worse and worse. He’s had a good camp and was good last year. He’s on the six-game, but we’ll see how long it takes – we can pull people off (early).”