Jerald Hawkins was on a roll. 
He was newly enrolled at LSU and prepared to start his stint as a Tiger after a successful high school career. He was ranked a unanimous top-20 offensive tackle in Louisiana coming out of high school. His career was taking off, and he was making strides fast.
But that all changed on Sept. 3, 2012, when his father, Warren, died of a heart attack, after ongoing heart issues.
“I felt like it was a nightmare,” Jerald said. “It didn’t feel real. I talked to him a few hours right before practice, and then after practice he was gone. It was tremendously hard.”
The death of Jerald’s father took a huge toll. Warren was
Jerald’s biggest inspiration growing up. Jerald said his dad was a coach both on and off the field, always keeping his head straight and pushing him to be a better player and person.
“He always pushed me,” Jerald said. “He always kept me going. He told me to just keep pushing, and you’ll eventually be better than these guys. Just keep pushing and don’t let them get to you that much. As long as you keep pushing and keep your mind straight, you only can beat you.”
Those words have stuck in Jerald’s mind ever since his father passed away.
“He always told me to be strong,” Jerald said. “He used to always tell me if I’m not here tomorrow just take care of my mother. That’s what kept replaying in my head and I just took it to heart and did what he always told me to do.”
It was easier said than done for Jerald, but he was able to persevere, thanks to a tight-knit offensive line unit.
Jerald said his teammates played a big part in his life, helping pick him up when he was down and keeping him out of slumps during his redshirt freshman season.
Senior center Elliott Porter was on the team when Jerald’s father died, and he, senior offensive tackle La’el Collins and former LSU guard Trai Turner were all there for Jerald when he needed it most.
“We were his crutch,” Porter said. “We were there for him. We said, ‘Lean on me man, just lean on me. We’re going to fight through this together.’ And that’s what we did.”
Porter said he admires the unit’s love for one another, and Jerald’s ability to overcome the difficult time.
“Jerald has been through a lot,” Porter said. “Jerald has pushed through it, and we’ve been there for him just like we’ve been there for each other. Everybody is a crutch for everybody, especially on the offensive line. We hold each other up in down times, and we hold each other up in high times. That’s just how we are.”
Jerald said he loves his teammates for the support they gave him through tough times.
Jerald is now back where he left off before his father passed away two years ago. He’s a second- year starter for the Tigers and earned Athlon Sports Freshman All-America Second Team honors in 2013. Although Warren is no longer with him, Jerald said he knows his father is never far behind.
“Good play or bad play, I know he’s there,” Jerald said. “If I mess up, I always know like, ‘Come on, you’re good, let’s just take it play by play.’ He’s always inspiration in my head.”
You can reach Jack Chascin on Twitter @Chascin_TDR.