This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years, and now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint.
It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage. Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues. Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. I turned off news altogether.
I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people. If we got clear facts, maybe we can calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting.
Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there. and BC News reporting for America. Uh This July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party, hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't-miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Experience music performances from major artists, patriotic tributes, and the kickoff to Giving Forth, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration at America250.org. What's up y'all? Summer's got a different tempo.
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Try the new Tropical Butterfly Refresher from Starbucks. This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories. Michael Vick is a former NFL quarterback whose story is defined by a meteoric rise and a criminal conviction for dogfighting. Following his release from prison, he experienced a notable redemption. returning to the NFL for seven seasons.
Here's Michael Vick. with his own story. You know, I grew up in poverty. You know, surrounded by a lot of friends, a lot of things going on in the neighborhood that I grew up in, a lot of influences. You know, just the ordinary lifestyle, you know, of a Young black kid.
But you know, with aspirations. Yeah. I know I had a gif. You know, when I was about seven years old. Like every day my motivation was to go outside and do something better to try to better myself at the game that I love at such a young age.
I didn't understand my passion, you know, back then when I was that young. I just wanted to have fun doing it, but. Everybody around me always told me that I look different from everybody else. I think it was because, you know, at a young age I always practice. I knew it was a lot of challenges growing up in the neighborhood that I was in.
You know, I always felt like You know, I needed the edge. I needed the... Have a different visualization of what everybody else in the neighborhood did. I wanted to be different. You know, even though we grew up together, even though we all ran together, had fun together, I wanted to.
be different so You know, my aspirations was to make it to the NFL. I told my grandmother that at a young age and I told her I would do anything to get there and she told me. If you're going to be successful in life, you have to find God at some point. And. You know, that always stuck with me.
So I'm like, at a young age, I'm like, what can I do to incorporate God into my life? And I just came to the conclusion I just put the Bible under my pillow and sleep with it under my pillow until something good happened. Plan B, I wanted to uh major in criminology.
Sociology was what they had at the University of Virginia Tech.
So that was my backup plan. But my plan was plan A. I was to make it, you know, to make it to the NFL. You know, I was so determined to do whatever it took. To make that happen, that I couldn't see my plan B.
So my determination was so strong. that I wouldn't allow anything to come into my life to negate that until I got a little older.
Well, I think I lost focus and it's so easy to do. You know, once you receive all these blessings, you feel like you've arrived. And I can honestly say I felt as if. There was nothing else that needed to be done, but I lost sight of Everything that got me to that point, you know, my beliefs, you know, no more sleeping with the Bible under the pillow, no more. Saying my prayers at night.
Once I got drafted, you know, I started living a different life. It wasn't rigorous. It wasn't crazy. You know, I did everything to try to. Make sure I, you know.
did what I was supposed to do and At the same time, I had, you know, I was straddling the fence. You know, I always told myself I didn't want to be a product of my environment.
Well, I've always wanted my environment to be a product of me. But at the same time, I brought some of those same values with me when I turned. 23, 24, and I had some money, and I was able to, you know, just do anything that I wanted to do. you know, lost focus and and ended up in prison. You know, it was a very humbling experience.
You know, I had every right to do the right thing and not do the wrong thing. And it's so easy to do the wrong thing. I I mean, it's the easiest thing to do. You know, it's hard when you got to make a decision based on a positive outcome. And you know, I had influences around me, but You know, I think as a grown man at 24 years old, and everything that I received in my life.
You know, I was supposed to take a step back and really look at my life as a whole and the people that I affected and the people that. They have really cared about me, you know, allied the Atlanta Falcons organization, you know, my mom and dad. Um my coll co college coaches, you know, anybody who You know, put time and effort into me. And last of all, God, the reason I really was in the position, the reason I'm here today. I lost focus.
and you know ended up you know in a place where I was humble but at the same time became a better person.
Well, when I first got in the prison, when they first closed the door, it was like a dream. And You know, at that point I felt like everything in life. You know, it has to have an expiration date that's not positive. The things that I was doing, I was not going to stop.
So that was my expiration bait. When that door closed. You know, I wanted to get out so bad, it was out of my control. You know, and the only thing I could do was just kind of, you know, look up and think about what I had done. and ask God to forgive me for what I had done and ask God to help me.
And I wanted it all right then. Every time the guard came to the door and put the key in the door, I was hoping that there was somebody that was coming in to free me. And that was just the first day. You know, and I ended up doing 465 more after that. You know, I wanted it all at one time.
I wanted the God to intervene and help me right then and there. But I know it's a mutual respect and a relationship that you have to have with God. You know I didn't want to disrespect that relationship, so I just told myself I got to be patient. Or those doors are not gonna open when I want them to. And, you know, I have to.
you know, put my focus on things that's gone. be positive reinforcement when I get out. And You know, it wasn't until then when they opened the doors and they let me out. You know, it was a new era for me, you know, and my whole walk. What I was doing at the time, it was what I dreamed about my entire life.
It's what I asked God for when I was younger. And I did everything that I was supposed to do, from sleeping with the Bible under my pillow to having a stronger belief than anybody that was around me. that I could do this. And it was so far-fetched. You know, because all you hear about is The reasons that you can't make it.
You know, you're small, you know, the NFL doesn't, they have a limited number of black quarterbacks, you know, which is. you know, something that, you know, is is should be overlooked. And something that I wanted to change, and I did, and I was since kind of able to just shift my focus to. doing all the right things and I did it but Just in the position that I was in. Why would you risk that?
Why would you sacrifice that? for things that, you know, really didn't make no sense, so it was morally wrong and You know, so I'd look at it in that sense. I felt like I should have been more of a mature person and should have been able to. not be a product of my environment, which I didn't want to be. Um You know, it was a lot of guys that was older than me, a lot of...
My former teammates who were leaders who just It'll try to encourage me to You know, Mike, be on time, you know. Come in a little earlier, you know, it's better to be five minutes earlier than, you know. you know, five minutes late. I don't know, I mean, you know, it's... You know, I'm here, you know, I'm on time.
But I didn't see the big picture. You know, I try to think before I speak. I try to think before I react. I try to weigh all the options, pros, and cons before any decision is made on anything in my life. You know, I think I'm a better teacher.
Starting with my kids. and better leader, you know, in the locker room. And just, you know, with my overall family, I feel like I'm responsible for them.
Well, I had a great career. It's been 15 long years, you know, football for me. I got more game in me, but. I can't give it all to them. I still have my kids.
Like I said, I'm responsible for in every decision that they make. I want it to be a reflection of themselves and a reflection of me.
So that's a Great responsibility. And I feel like it's more out there for me. I feel like football was just only a facet of my life. And I think it's time to kind of put that to rest and try to figure out what my next calling is. I'm just gonna let it flow.
I'm gonna let it come. I'm not gonna rush it. I'm not gonna... Asked God to give it all to me at one time, I'm just let it happen. And a special thanks to Oakwood University Church.
For providing the audio and a terrific job on the editing and storytelling and production by our own Greg Hengler. And what a testimony that was. My goodness, he did everything right. He was disciplined. He made it to the NFL.
But the next thing you know, he's locked up. And what he said was, I lost sight of everything. I stopped praying. I took that Bible out from under my pillow. His redemption wouldn't come in short order.
He'd have to work for it. He'd earn it, get it when he deserved it. And now the new part of his life, but this part of his life with God on his side, patience on his side. The story of the redemption of Michael Vick. here.
on our American stories. Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years. And now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint.
It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage. Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues. Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. This July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party, hosted by America 250.
America's Block Party is a can't-miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music performances from major artists, patriotic tributes, and the kickoff to Giving Forth, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration at America250.org. Mom, can I have Lingo Kids?
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Professional wrestling fans, the action continues every week. That means this. It's total nonstop action! TNA Thursday Night Impact every week on AMC. For showtimes and more information, visit TNA Wrestling.com.
