Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, David Montgomery always dreamed big. His journey into the league began after getting drafted by the Bears as the 73rd overall pick. But as glamorous as it may look, the path to the pro league doesn’t come without hurdles. The running back knows this better than anyone. He overcame personal battles and every other challenge thrown at him to reach where he stands today. Those struggles were both mental and physical. Now, he makes sure to take care of himself on both fronts. Looking back, Montgomery shared what motivated him to keep going despite all the obstacles.

During his recent appearance on The Pivot podcast, he was asked about how he managed to overcome the toughest experiences of his life. One such was perhaps his sister’s scary accident. In an earlier interview with Tyler Dunne, he revealed that the car accident had paralyzed his sister Kiki from the neck down.

“My entire family looks at me as the one, the voice some of us would say. The moment that I realized it was bigger than me, pain, emotions, the things I can’t control, it don’t matter as much. My sister don’t get to walk. Like, why is it fair for me to quit? And I can do whatever I want to do. I’m healthy. But my sister would die to have the opportunity to just walk. So, like, it’s so much bigger than me, and I realize that,” he shared.

That was a devastating blow for the entire family. Montgomery said their pain constantly reminds him that he can’t give up. He also mentioned his nephew, Kiki’s son, Yhzrah. The young boy was diagnosed with leukemia three years ago. And he fought bravely through it. While the young kid doesn’t make big shots in the NFL, he did inspire David along the way. “I got a nephew who just beat cancer,” David shared. Their battles continue to motivate the running back and overcome every hurdle in his life.

That fight perhaps shows up in Montgomery’s game, too. The Cincinnati native shows impressive enthusiasm and fiery competition in every game. Soon, he will be gearing up for the Lions vs. Texas game with the same electric energy. And a little part of the credit for this motivation, the player also gives to his nephew.

David Montgomery recalled how his nephew saved his life.

The Lions running back once opened up about a deeply personal struggle. During that time, he revealed that it was a phone call from his nephew that had helped save his life. The Lions #5 said the pressures of football, combined with the weight of injuries and outside expectations, once pushed him to a breaking point.

During that moment, Montgomery explained that his nephew reached out unexpectedly. “I went through all of that stuff and one person who saved my life was my nephew. I was in a situation to where I was this close to doing something that I knew I shouldn’t have done, that would have changed the trajectory of my life or changed the trajectory of everybody else around me in my life,” he said.

He recalled that his nephew’s words reminded him of what matters. For Montgomery, it was a life-saving reminder. He also shared that he has been committed to therapy for the past five years. He said working with a therapist has helped him regulate his emotions and recognize his own self-worth.

Athletes rarely come out to share their experiences. However, there has been a shift. Players and celebrities are no longer scared to talk about mental health challenges. And that is something which has helped others to come out and share their experiences.