Ravens safety Anthony Levine spent much of his youth in Abbeville, La., a small town 150 miles west of New Orleans and not far outside of Lafayette.
With two brothers and a sister, times were tough back then for the family, but Levine's mother, Christina, sacrificed tremendously – working multiple jobs – to make it work.
"My mom is my hero, man," Levine said.
Recently, Levine paid it back. A self-described "big momma's boy," Levine bought Christina a brand-new house in Houston and surprised her with the gift recently. Watch the full video documenting it here.
"You were a real soldier," Levine said. "You never wavered even when times were looking hard, looking rough. We didn't have [anything]. You made do. This is just a small appreciation."
Levine is a two-time Super Bowl champion (Green Bay, Baltimore) and one of the Ravens' longest-tenured players as he enters his eighth NFL season.
He's a core special teams player (nicknamed the "Co-Cap" of the unit) and a versatile and effective player who has also stepped in countless times to help on defense as well.
Away from the field, Levine has been very active in giving back to the community. His 4Every1 Foundation, founded in 2017, "helps at-risk youth and their families build better futures through mentorship, educational opportunities and life-changing experiences."
But Levine always had helping his mother in his sights.
"I'm overwhelmed. I'm very grateful," Christina said. "He always did tell me, 'Momma, I'm gonna buy you a house. I'm going to buy you a house.' Me, I was like, 'Boy, save your money.' … Now that he bought me this house, I'm speechless."
