Dwight Douglas Lewis was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, the youngest of 14 children in a tough household. Named after WWII generals Dwight Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur, Lewis grew up in a loud, rough neighborhood, often feeling like an underdog.

“My house was rough, rowdy, and raucous,” he recalled during his speech to the Fayetteville, Tennessee Rotary Club.

His early years were marked by struggle. He was once arrested at 13 for stealing a car. That moment was a turning point.

On his knees, scared and alone, Lewis prayed a foxhole prayer: “God, if you get me out of this, I’ll never do it again.”

Then came a defining moment in DD’s life. He thought he was going to drop out of school; instead, he “found a home” for his aggression. Football became his lifeline.

At Fulton High Sc

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