Najee Harris was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 24th overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night, and the star running back had a touching way of remaining true to his roots before he heard his name called.
Harris made a brief visit on Thursday to the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP), which is a homeless shelter in Richmond, Calif. Harris chatted with residents and brought them some food as they prepared to watch the draft, but he was also visiting a place he used to call home.
As Lyanne Melendez of ABC 7 notes, Harris, his four siblings and his parents lived at the shelter for a brief period in 2010. Harris was 12 years old at the time.
“That little time we had helped my family out to find another place to stay so just giving back to communities and giving back to places like this means a lot to me,” Harris said.
Kathleen Sullivan, executive director of GRIP, said Harris’ story is an inspiration for those involved with the program.
“Just to see him as a grown man with this kind of opportunity for him today and to know that he lived in this shelter among many other places their family had to move around and lives as a homeless man just speaks to the anything is possible,” Sullivan said.
It turned out to be a good night for Harris, as the former Alabama star landed with one of the most consistent winning franchises in the NFL. Between his story with the homeless shelter and the outstanding way he supported his teammates at their Pro Day this year, Harris should instantly become a fan favorite in Pittsburgh.
