Coach Greiner
Sam Greiner was working at Harding University High School as a health and physical instructor when he met Braheam Murphy. Sam worked hard every day to become a football coach, as it was his primary goal at that time. Sooner or later, life was going to give him the chance to fulfill his dream.
Married to Connie and father of two beautiful girls, Sam had a loving family who stood by his side at all times. He raised his daughters Charli Belles and Journi with love and encouraged them to play sports. Sam was full of love, and the best was yet to come.
Faith
Sam and his wife Connie were both Christians, as they placed their lives and hearts in God’s hands. Their faith was so strong that they believed that everything was possible if it was in God’s will.
As devoted Christians, the family went to church every week and prayed at home. The family was very close, so it was hard to believe that they would take in a stranger. However, they opened their hearts to a homeless teen.
Job Opportunity
When Sam started working as a football coach at Harding University High School, he faced a big challenge ahead. The team hadn’t had a single victory in twenty years. It was quite frustrating, but he managed to cheer everybody up.
Sam explained that the team was “barely winning a game” and was “the laughing stock of Charlotte.” No matter how bad the situation was, Sam was committed to the team. He wanted to change their reality. “It takes faith to walk out of the stands and sign up on a sheet of paper saying I’m gonna play football for you,” he said.
Little Kid
When Braheam showed up at Sam’s class, he impressed his coach. “First time I met Braheam, he was a freshman. The smallest kid I probably saw in my life. I mean, he probably weighed 90 pounds.” Sam was shocked to see the kid’s condition.
Braheam was always late for his first period, which was Sam’s class. Sam remembered that “he would have someone drive him to school every day because there wasn’t a bus.” Sam knew that his student always turned up late, but he didn’t know the reason why.
Homeless Teenager
Sam remembers that Braheam was always asking his coach to drop him off, but it was never the same place. Why was a teenager going to many places? Sam became suspicious, and he eventually asked his student where his home was. But Braheam never told him the truth.
After some time, Braheam finally decided to tell his coach the truth: he was homeless. He explained to his coach that he was sleeping at his friends’ or relatives’, but he didn’t have a permanent home nor parents. This difficult situation was the main reason why he didn't make it to school on time.
He Had A Tough Life
Braheam had been through difficult times when he was a child. His mom died when he was only five years old. He managed to stay strong despite the circumstances. He only had his brothers and sisters, who helped him get through.
Being the youngest son in the family was even harder for Braheam, as he needed attention and care. No matter how hard it was, he never gave up. Even though he was always late for class, he was giving his best.
It Wasn’t Enough
Braheam was a brilliant kid, but it wasn’t enough. His current situation wasn’t helping at all, and he started failing his exams. His GPA score was so low that he wasn’t eligible to be admitted to the football team.
Once Braheam started to play football, every single person on the field realized how talented he was. After all, they couldn’t wait to have him on the team. However smart and talented he proved to be, his low grades were an impediment.
Sad News
Braheam was determined to excel at football, as he was passionate about it. Hearing the sad news that he couldn’t join the team broke his heart. Although he didn’t show any emotion, he was dying on the inside.
The talented kid was very strong, but when he was alone, he cried about it. Braheam had been through so much at such a young age. Now that he found his true passion, he had to step aside.
Braheam Was Invited To Dinner
Coach Sam was monitoring Braheam very closely and knew about the student’s situation. He couldn’t ignore the fact that Braheam was lonely, tired, and not eating well, so he told his wife Connie about him. They both decided to invite him for dinner.
It’s not normal to invite a student to have dinner, but Sam wanted to help the kid, and so did Connie as soon as she learned about Braheam’s situation. It had been a long time since he had had a hot and tasty meal served at a table.
Braheam Felt Part Of The Family
Connie and Sam quickly agreed to have Braheam for dinner. When Sam asked Braheam, he immediately said yes to the dinner plan. That night, Sam realized that Braheam was very hungry, as he ate his meal very fast.
Maybe it was Braheam’s first big meal ever because he was desperate about it. Sam noticed that Connie and Braheam had an immediate connection, as they opened up to each other and talked about lots of things during dinner.
About Connie
If you knew Connie, you’d understand why she decided to invite Braheam without hesitating. She had worked for many years as a sales assistant in a jewelry shop. Hard work pays off, they say. After a long time, she was promoted to manager at Pandora.
Nowadays, Connie is the current manager of the cosmetics brand Origins, while she studies at University and takes care of the house and the kids. Even though she has many responsibilities, nothing’s more important than her family.
He Stayed
Inviting Braheam for dinner turned into an invitation to live with the Greiner’s because the kid stayed with them. That memorable dinner became the first day of Braheam’s new life. Both Sam and Connie told Braheam to stay with them as long as he wanted. Eventually, he became part of the family.
Braheam immediately felt part of the family because Sam and Connie had done lots of things to make him feel that way. For example, he had his own bedroom. They trusted each other to the point that Braheam would babysit the girls and play with them.
He Was Finally In
Braheam’s life changed completely. Having a home to sleep well at night and a meal served every day gave him the strength he needed to excel at school. He felt so much love and care from the Greiner’s that he found a way to have good marks.
Braheam went from failing all of his classes to getting a 4.0 GPA. Now that his grades were fine, he could finally join the football team. Now that he had the affection of a family, he could finally start dreaming again of becoming a football player.
He Made A Sacrifice
Sam was coaching at Harding University High School, the team which Braheam joined. Even though they were like father and son, the kid didn’t get any benefits out of it. The funniest part was that Braheam decided to start playing in the position he hated most.
Sam understands that Braheam made a sacrifice when he decided to play defensive back, as it was what the team needed. Braheam wanted to play quarterback, but he decided to do the best for the team and leave his wishes behind.
A Formidable Rival
Back in 2000, Sam shared his testimony at Church. He told everyone about one of the best achievements of Braheam and the football team. The team was playing against West Meck High School, a formidable rival. Nobody believed that the team could get to the playoffs except Braheam.
It was in the last 40 seconds of the game that Braheam threw a winning touchdown pass. Thanks to his initiative, the team finally got to the playoffs after 60 years. It was a memorable time for Harding.
Filled With Emotions
Braheam was standing next to Sam the day he gave his testimony in church. The kid tried not to cry, but it was impossible to hold back tears of happiness. Braheam was proud of what he had achieved so far and happy to have a great father like Sam.
“He’s more than you can imagine. You think that I’m doing something for him? He’s done more to my life than I’ve done for him. He’s a very special human being,” Sam said after sharing the story. Certainly, these words can fill everyone with emotion.
Biological Family
Both his biological and adoptive families were watching the game that day. Not only Connie, Sam, and the girls were there supporting Braheam, but his biological father was there too. After all, he had the company of his whole family.
As seen in the picture, Braheam’s biological father, Dino, is posing for a photo with the Greiner’s, Braheam, and Danielle, his half-sister. Braheam’s mother was gone, but his father wasn’t, but he was just not ready to take care of Braheam the way he deserved.
Dino
Braheam was only five years old when his mother died of a brain aneurysm. Little Braheam and his sister Dominique were left alone with their dad, Dino. But he wasn’t around. After such a terrible situation, Dino remarried and had a girl, Danielle.
Braheam’s half-sister was born with cerebral palsy, so she had to be taken care of at all times. Besides, Dino and his new wife lived with Danielle in a small house, and there was no room for Braheam and Dominique. Apart from that, it was quite hard to live with them, Braheam admits.
Graduated With Straight A’s
The day finally came for Braheam when he graduated from school in 2018. He passed all his subjects. Sam and Connie, his adoptive parents, were there to celebrate with him. It was something worth celebrating, as he achieved almost a 4.0 GPA.
The kid who seemed to be lost in life with no progressing opportunities made it to the end with flying colors. Sam and Connie believed in him from the very beginning, and they didn’t let Braheam give up on his dreams.
His Younger Sisters
The moment Braheam became part of the family, he became a big brother. He found two beautiful girls who became his adopted sisters. Even though Charli and Journi are way younger than Braheam, the age gap didn’t step between them because they were very close to each other.
Braheam learned to be a big brother while playing with his sisters and babysitting them. He used to let them do the makeup without any complaints. At night, he read to them before bed. Sam and Connie describe Braheam as their bonus kid, as he was a perfect match with the family.
What’s Next?
After graduation from school, Braheam applied to join the US Military Academy Preparatory School. Of course, such a talented and smart boy was instantly admitted. His adoptive parents Sam and Connie were so happy about it that they even posted it on Instagram.
After hard work and sacrifice, Braheam got what he wanted. Sam was proud to see Braheam growing up and becoming a strong and determined man. He deserves everything.
The Family Missed Him
Now that Braheam was working at the Military Academy, he didn’t have the opportunity to share moments with his loving family. The Greiner’s missed him a lot, but they knew that Braheam was doing what he wanted most.
At the same time, the youngest sister Charli started Kindergarten, so the whole family was a little bit busy with that. However, Sam still missed his little boy, who would be next to him while driving to school every day. It was a mix of emotions for Sam.
Forever Family
The fact that Braheam didn’t live in the house anymore certainly didn't mean that he was gone forever. In fact, Braheam spent his holidays and each family’s birthdays at home. Sam, Connie, and the two girls were his true family, it was all he ever wanted, and he finally had it.
Depending on the type of occasion, Braheam finds a way to match clothes with his family. For example, the family wore red and black for Christmas, so Braheam wore a black and red plaid shirt. He was blessed that he found his forever family.
Prep Graduation
Good things come to those who work hard. Braheam worked very hard for his dreams to come true, and the day finally came. He graduated from the West Point academy to Army West Point Football just in a year. His family was proud of what he had achieved.
Sam always shares family moments on Instagram, and he always writes something inspiring or positive. The day finally came when Braheam graduated. Coach Sam expressed how proud he was of his son and described Braheam as a resilient warrior. Proud Papa.
Family Support
Braheam went from having nothing at all to have everything he’d dream of. Being raised in a loving home and having all the support he needed at that time were key to success in life. Love and care were the basis for Braheam to thrive.
Sam and Connie have a lovely relationship. Braheam grew up seeing them loving each other and their kids. Sam always tells Connie how much he loves her and how important she is to him.
Family Time
The pandemic has locked the family inside, but coach Sam always finds a way to stay active. During the lockdown, Sam started doing carpentry in his own garage. He built a hanging storage for his wife to have everything handy.
After the lockdown, the family took a little trip. They enjoyed more family time together, as they went to the cinema and had some fun together.
The Family Keeps Getting Bigger
Coach Sam shares every happy moment of his life. Recently, he shared that Connie was pregnant. The whole family is very excited to have a new member, and they can’t wait to have him with them. It’s a blessing.
Elijah Rock Greiner is the next warrior in the Greiner family. The girls now become the big sisters, and Braheam would have a little brother to teach football. A new adventure awaits the family, and we can’t wait to see the little boy.
Working Hard
Army West Point Football is Braheam’s current home. He has never stopped working hard to be the best on the field. Nowadays, he has become a strong man. He posts pictures on his social media of him on the field.
Braheam has become a man. He is no longer the little boy who didn’t have a safe room to sleep at night. By looking at his social media, you can see how big he is. Good things keep happening to him after working hard for them.