Dallas Cowboys

Former LSU Star Returns To Louisiana Hometown

WEST MONROE, La. (AP) ― Strong, loving parents helped NFL star Bradie James become a man of convictions.

His ascension from Wossman and West Monroe, to Louisiana State University and into professional football coincided with his desire to help others.

The Dallas Cowboys linebacker lost both his parents months apart when he was still in college. Knowing how important they were in his own development drives James to give back whenever he can.

Within the last year, James launched his own nonprofit organization, Foundation 56. The foundation's signature program, Soul Survivors, raises awareness about breast cancer.

James said he wants to fight back against the disease that took his mother -- Etta James -- too soon.

"I had to do something I was passionate about," James said. "After losing my mom, naturally I'm passionate about that."

The foundation is already contributing to such organizations as the YWCA. James said a bigger goal is to form mobile units, to help screen underserved areas.

"It's about prevention and early screening," said James, who wears a pink Foundation 56 bracelet on his wrist. "The quicker you can get diagnosed or you can find the lump on your breast, that's the best thing for them."

James said men have a role in helping women through the process.

"The thing is, nobody wants to be diagnosed with any kind of sickness," James said. "Nobody wants to do that. But we're encouraging the women to go do that. And breast cancer doesn't just affect women. It affects the whole family. We have to be the backbone, the supporting cast and the nurturer."

James is also a willing mentor to youngsters, especially back home in the community where he grew up. "The James Gang," an arm of Foundation 56, is an organized youth initiative that continues something the athlete has done for years.

"It's not about shaping NFL football players," James said. "It's about shaping good, quality people, people who will serve and be pillars of the community."

On a recent Saturday, James conducted a free football camp at West Monroe for boys age 10-16 to teach the young athletes how to compete on the field, in the classroom and in life.

"I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel," James said. "I'm just doing some things that taught me to get to where I am today."

In another gesture, James planned to take a group of young athletes to Grambling State, Louisiana Tech and the University of Louisiana at Monroe. James, who leased a bus for the daylong college tour, planned to spend the day talking to the students about the role academics plays in their success in sports.

"The only way I know how to do it is to be hands-on," James said. "To help them as much as possible, by talking to them. Without education, you can't do anything."

(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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