I just want you to say the first thing that comes to mind as I go through these words.

Football.

Love it.

Addiction.

Terrible.

Mental health.

Serious life.

A rollercoaster.

Four words.

Four responses.

Endless thoughts that fir through the brain of James Moore in milliseconds.

He's a man that has live quite the life, and a peek into his story makes him relatable to anyone who knows what it's like to pick yourself up off the mat when things get real.

James is from the west side of Lansing.

He never met his biological father.

His mother, Linda, would meet Cleveland Moore, who would adopt hi along with his other brothers.

Took in three of us.

Adopted us, gave us his name.

Then my uncle passed away and took in two more.

Tony and Daryl, and then had Cleveland Jr and Chris.

So seven total.

Seven boys total.

I couldn't ask for a better childhood.

That childhood saw James develo his natural talent as an athlete while attending Lansing Sexton High School, he became a standout in track and field and of course, football, where he rushed for almost 200 yards and was highly recruited.

The Lansing Sexton Hall of Famer decided to stay home, playing for the late George Perles at Michigan State University.

James would lace up the cleats for the Spartans in 29 games from '85 to '89 running the ball for 200 yards and three touchdowns.

The athletic feat that he's most proud o is playing in the '88 Rose Bowl.

The Spartans beating USC i the 74th edition of the coveted bowl game.

Man, it was a dream come true.

A lifetime achievement, you know, make it to the Rose Bowl.

The last time they did it was the year I was born back in '66.

It was an amazing atmosphere.

Is there a play that stands out in that game for you?

Yeah.

I mean, I had the best average on the team.

You left it out there?

Yeah, I had.

It is true.

Hey, what was that?

Average.

Average nine yards per carry.

Because you got to get a handle high right up the middle.

James, a full back on that team is best known for clearing the way for college football Hall of Fame running back Lorenzo White, who ran for over 100 yards in that rose Bowl dub.

At MSU, James did the dirty work blocking defenders while Lorenzo ra through openings that culminated in him becoming Michigan State's all time leading rusher almost 4900 yards on the ground.

He holds nearly every rushing record in program history.

Is there any part of you that is kind of like that should have been me.

You know, you're always going to have some of that.

But at the time I was playing so it really didn't affect me, you know, saying I wa on the field and then he wasn't.

James was injure during the '88 regular season.

By the time he recovered, Coach Perles limited his minutes playin in only six games that season.

After deciding to forg his final year of eligibility, there was little to no interest from NFL teams.

The shift to a life without sports brought about unforeseen emotional torment.

When you're doing something for so long and it's all of a sudden gone, your whole lifestyle changes and you're smoking, smoking weed, smoking crack, trying to suppress, get rid of the pain, you know.

At the time I thought it was good feeling, but it's just like it takes you up where you like.

Wow.

And then you come down even lower.

Every time.

James became what he calls a functioning addict.

Maintaining a job as a security officer around the greater Lansing area, he was a regular drug abuser.

Then an awakening.

I was in Grand Rapids.

I think my daughter was like 11.

It's a Saturday.

She's on the bench sleeping.

So I go pick up some rocks and I'm sitting in the car.

My heart's already racing.

And then the police pull up behind me.

I'm looking in this rearview mirror.

They about to turn they lights on and I got in my hand already.

For some reason, they just take off.

Just take off.

And I'm like, they out.

I'm out.

That next morning when I woke up.

Wow.

I mean, it was like God was just flashing.

I mean, my daughter, my job, working the school district.

James Moore headline.

And I haven't touched it since Quit Cold Turkey.

That was June of '99.

Clean ever since he went on to become a father of five, four boys, one girl.

But what happens when you are faced with the challenge of watching one of your children go down a dark path?

Alonzo Gomez did just that.

Arrested in 2016 for armed robbery and home invasion.

Alonzo and another young man confronted a civilian in a parking lot.

We parked the car, got a gun and ra up and forced him in the house, not knowing his girlfriend or whoever was upstairs.

Must have heard us come i and already called the police.

So we're coming out the house instantly hear "freeze".

And I dropped to the floor and seeing my life flashed in front of me.

Wake up call.

End up doing seven years.

What role did your dad play during?

Oh, he played a major role.

Talk to him every other week.

Faithfully for seven years straight.

He kept.

Kept me focused and just.

Just a positive energy.

You know what I'm saying?

Cause you're not getting no positive energy in there.

One bad choice could have cost him his life, Could have cost him like he had red dots on him.

And then the choice you make don't just affect you.

From my daughter to my dad, to my mom, to my sisters, it affected everybody in a totally different ways.

All negative too.

After Alonzo's release, James has helped him find a steady job in the Lansing area.

As for James, he's now the founder of Swap, or Speaking With A Purpose.

It's a philanthropic campaign in which he shares his story of perseverance and allows others to share theirs.

It's about swapping the negative for the positive.

And in spreading this word, he's found himself impacting lives in unexpected ways.

Good morning.

This morning, I seen an article that was written about you.

I don't think you'll remember me, bu I was one of the troubled kids that attended Valley Wood Middle School when you were working there.

I did get my act together.

I went off to the Army, served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now I'm home.

I have a wife and five kids.

To this day, I tell my kids and friends about you.

That's what it's about right there.

What goes through your min when you when you get a message like that?

I did my job because I would always tell them, I don't care if you remember it now or next week or next year, if you remember it five years down the road.

I did my job and that's testimony.