LeRoy Butler Was Forrest Gump

In a small way, former Florida State Seminole and Green Bay Packer defensive back LeRoy Butler lived that crazy, magical life, right down to the cumbersome leg braces that just had to break away and reveal a marvel of an athlete.

Ever hear LeRoy Butler's story? He grows up in Jacksonville, in a housing project that sees death on a daily basis. LeRoy has club feet, bad. Doctors have to break his legs and reset them while he's a toddler. When he's not confined to a wheelchair, he wears bulky braces on both legs. The only thing that gets him through the day is his infectious sense of humor, which causes the neighborhood to rally around him, to protect him. Everybody loves LeRoy.

So one day, his sister comes running downstairs in his house -- on her way to the prom, according to LeRoy -- and trips in her high heels. She knocks LeRoy over and breaks one of his leg braces. He stands up, mad as hell at his sibling, and stomps his other foot, which breaks his other brace. One of his brothers looks over and screams, "LeRoy! You're standing up!"

At which point, according to the legend, LeRoy looks down at his legs, looks up at his siblings, and barrels out the front door to join a kickball game in the street. He was eight years old, and it was the first time he ever ran anywhere.

He later was involved in the "puntrooskie", invented the "Lambeau Leap" and won a Super Bowl among many other things. Read the entire thing at Whit Watson's blog.