KPEL personality Tootie Landry is back with a whole new segment: “Off the Grid.” It’s a segment where she goes places and does things you either don’t know about or are not willing to do.

In this edition of “Off the Grid,” Tootie introduces you to Jeremica Edwards, a UL women's basketball player who has overcome so much in her life!

"Hey! I’m Tootie Landry and this is 'Off the Grid!'

This past Monday afternoon, I was privileged to interview a student athlete at UL who is wise beyond her years. This 18-year-old female has overcome a lifetime of adversity. By some accounts she is a typical college kid who enjoys Netflix and hanging out with friends.

But, that is where it ends.

A New Orleans native, she was the youngest of 7 children. Mostly raised by her older brother, she will be the first to tell you it was her high school and sports where she felt at home. Her childhood was spent living 'Pillar to Post,' bouncing around from living with a Schizophrenic uncle to different friend's houses, to finally ending up with a older sibling.

The chaos didn’t stop there. She had a brother who died of AIDS and another brother who was shot. She was raised in a drug and crime infested neighborhood. Instead of living in self-pity and anger, 'Smeeky,' as her friends call her, chose 'Grit.'

With State Championships in multiple sports, she chose basketball to play in college. At 5’10” tall this Freshmen may not be getting a lot of playing time yet, but she is the shining light on the bench. Her positive attitude is infectious.

Currently, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania is studying 'Grit.' She has found that the #1 predictor of 'Grit' is not grades, SAT scores or any other characteristic of it. But the folks who were just concerned with their goal and had their priorities in order achieved success. When I asked Jeremica Edwards her priorities, she stated, 'I love facing things head on, but God, Family, School and Basketball are most important to me.'

And that my friends, is 'Grit.'

And I’m Tootie Landry and I’m “Off the Grid!”

To listen to Tootie's audio, CLICK BELOW:

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