Purify Overcomes Depression to be Arena League Legend

Mavric

Mavric

Yoda
Staff member
He strongly believes in the importance of team unity. He would know. His former Nebraska teammates helped him through the toughest time of his life back in 2006-07. In a span of about six months, he endured the deaths of four loved ones, including a grandmother.


"Being a young guy away from home, I really wasn't emotionally stable," said the native of Eureka, California, located 100 miles south of the Oregon border. "The friends I had on the team kept me as stable as they could. They kept me sane."

He mentioned Menelik Holt, Chris Brooks, Keith Williams, Carl Nicks, Phillip Dillard, Jordan Picou and Marlon Lucky, but there were others.

"There were times I wanted to say, 'Screw football, I don't want to do it anymore.' I had all this stuff going on," Purify said. "I didn't even feel like talking, really. I was really quiet in public. I had a hard time focusing in school. But my teammates kept me focused on the goals I wanted since I was a kid. The friends I had were really the key to my success at Nebraska."

He found refuge on the playing field. The clutter in his mind dissipated. He could express himself.

"My smile would come back," he said. "That's the place I'm most happy. Out on the field."

It's no wonder. In five-plus seasons in the AFL, he has 439 receptions for 6,192 yards (14.1 per catch) and 152 touchdowns. He helped lead the Rattlers to three AFL titles before earning a fourth ring last season in a short stint with the San Jose SaberCats. He sat out the season's first seven weeks while recovering from a knee injury suffered late in the 2014 season.

This year, he has 34 catches for 437 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Rattlers (5-2), who will play the Los Angeles Kiss (3-3) on Saturday in Phoenix.
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LJS

 
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I think if we took an honest, anonymous poll, a lot of us would cop to dealing with depression. Good on Maurice for overcoming his issues and succeeding. And good luck with the rest of your life, Mo, because overcoming one obstacle doesn't mean you've beaten depression. It's always there, and it can always come back to bite your a$$. Be vigilant, and get help from your friends and professionals if you need it.

Shout out to Menelik Holt, Chris Brooks, Keith Williams, Carl Nicks, Phillip Dillard, Jordan Picou and Marlon Lucky, and the others who helped Mo but weren't explicitly mentioned. Good on all of you, guys. Most folks aren't trained or innately equipped to deal with friends or loved ones dealing with these issues. It's hard. You don't know what's right, or how to make things work. But the fact that Purify mentioned you means you meant something to him, whatever you said or did. Good job.

 
I will defiantly admit I went through a period of depression. It's horrible.

I had a friend that got me through it. Glad he had many that helped him.

 
Its good to hear this guy is doing well and finding success.

I've had my bouts with depression and rough stretches but nothing like this guy did. It shows how tough of a man he is to pull through it all and rebound like he has.

 
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