New Jets receiver Mikul Hardiman catches up with Post columnist Steve Serby for some Mother’s Day Q&A.
Q: Describe your mother LaTrevia Danielle.
A: A very strong woman…attractive…she will give you the shirt off her back…very loving, and caring. So many words you can say to her, man, but most likely the Mentally the strongest woman I know, and she puts a lot of things on her shoulders.
Q: How did she find out about her brain tumor in 2013?
A: You told us. I’m the one who pushed this issue to some extent to have a deeper look into what was going on because I actually remember the day. In her room, she called me there, my dad was going to work, and she told me to get her remote control off the floor. And to me, I’m like, “Why did you call me just to get the remote off the floor when all you really have to do is pick it up?” And she was like, “I wish I could, but when I bent over, I had to sit down and catch myself just to get up.” I’m like, “What?” And she went to the doctors for tests or something and they didn’t see anything wrong with her. They were saying maybe she was having some severe headaches no matter what. So, “Nah mama, this is more than they tell you, you really need to check,” because if you can’t pick up a remote control, something’s more wrong than it is going. Finally, she said, “You’re right,” and ended up examining her, and she had a tumor on her brain the size of an apple. The surgeon who did that, removed the whole thing. … The tumor was so big that she had to go home without her front skull. Literally Like the front of her skull was off. They had to take it off because her brain was so big. Her brain was so swollen that they had to take the front off her skull and wait until the brain wanted to get rid of the bulge and then go back and put the front of her skull back on.
Q: How long after they put the front of her skull back in?
A: She didn’t have her frontal skull in maybe for like, it should have been like a month. It was a lovely little minute I did without her.
Q: What is a hospital?
A: It was Emory Hospital, I think.
Q: How terrifying is this for you?
A: It was very scary. When you hear a lump, you think it’s cancerous. And I didn’t know if it was a precancerous disease, or if it was like one of those things where I could have a chance at losing my mom, in that moment there just made me and my mom get a little tighter. Having a tumor this big, crazy man, anything can happen. You’re going home without a skull, the front of your skull, that’s scary, you know what I’m saying?
Q: When did you find out it was not cancerous?
A: Maybe a few days after she started doing all the scans, they actually found it, and after they found out it wasn’t cancerous, it was kind of a breath of relief, but it’s still serious, because anything can happen, you know?
Q: The doctors told her that she might not be able to see again?
A: Yeah, it’s things they say like, “This could potentially happen, and these could be the side effects of that.” This is a side effect, yes.
Q: Did you stay with her in the hospital?
A: Yes, I’m not leaving until I know she’s okay. She was in the hospital for a few days, but I know for a fact that I was there every single day. I didn’t leave at all.
Q: Did you sleep in the hospital?
A: Yes, I slept there. It might have been a night, it might have been two nights, but I know I didn’t leave until I found out everything was fine.
Q: You were going to drive her then because she can’t drive.
A: She couldn’t drive for one minute for sure, because she also lost her memory and her things. She had a short-term memory for a while, and after a while she started to like remembering certain things.
Q: How much did you pray?
A: Oh, every day. At this point, God should be on your side. We are a Christian family, so prayer is also one of the main sources to make sure everything is in order.
Q: How many matches did you go to when you played in Georgia?
A: It was in every home game for sure, because it was only 35 minutes apart, and every game was close. She’d come to Tennessee, she’d come to South Carolina, she’d come to the Florida game in Jacksonville. She and her pops have been in a lot of games…mostly in reality.
Q: Have you been to the pro games in Kansas City?
A: Yes, it comes to all home games. She and my pops.
Q: You can look in the stands and see them there, right?
A: My first two years, three years, I knew exactly where they were in the stands because they were all in all my shirts and stuff and then when I got the wing it was a little bit harder because it was at the far end.
Q: Will there be an opening night in front of the bills?
A: It will definitely be here, especially the new team, the first match, yes it will be here.
Q: Do you talk to her before matches on match day?
A: He always sends a text like, “Good luck,” “Have fun,” “Do whatever you want,” and then I see her after the game.
Q: When you were a quarterback at Reading in high school, were you concerned about your safety?
A: She is still worried to this day. It’s just maternal instinct, you know?
Q: How many of your brothers do you have?
A: I have two older brothers, I have two older sisters and I have a younger sister.
Q: What is the best advice your mother ever gave you?
A: My mom always says to me, “Show me your boyfriend, and I’ll show you your future.” Or she’d say something about girls like, “Mess up, get something you can’t get rid of,” talking about a little mama. You see a lot of people who have issues with their significant other or the mother of their child, and it’s a bad situation or they’re putting them on child support. It’s one of those things you don’t want to deal with, so if you’re going to do it, do it right.
Q: Tell me about your son’s birth on Holy Sunday.
A: My daughter, Sharia, gave birth to my son on February 13, just after the match that night. I kind of had like two wins in one, a Super Bowl win and then my son came along, so it was definitely a great night.
Q: You injured your thigh and didn’t play in the match.
A: I went to the hospital to be with my daughter, her appointment was any minute. I went into labor the morning of the Super Bowl.
Q: What is your son’s name?
A: It is the third, it was named after me.
Q: How would you describe fatherhood?
A: I think it’s the best thing ever, man, especially having your son first. This kind of gives you the drive to make sure they’re well off when they’re older. I love him man, he’s the best thing ever.
Q: How is your diaper game?
great. At first I took a really long time, but with time I started to figure out how to speed up and learn different techniques and little things like that.
Q: What do you get your daughter and your mother for Mother’s Day?
A: Mom, I’ll give her a vacation, she and my mom pops. A vacation of her choice, to where they want to go, no matter where they want to go… Anniversary gift, Mother’s Day gift together. And then my girl got a bag, shoes, things like that, and invested in her too… X gave her a couple of dollars and invested in her what she wants to do with her career and what she’s doing.
Q: Safi Sharia, does she remind you of your mother?
A: Any girl I’ve been with is kind of like a little model after my mom. You won’t actually find the exact mold of your mom, but she’s a good mom, she’s loving, she has a standard she likes to live by, and she’s very particular about what she loves. … wonderful person.
Q: How will you spend Mother’s Day?
A: My girl’s family is also coming to Georgia for my family, so everyone will be together.
Q: What was that moment like when your mom saw the house you bought for her after signing your rookie contract with the Chiefs?
A: Oh man, this is probably one of the best moments ever. To be able to return the favor to your mother that they have given you so much. And both of my parents. And just look at the looks on their faces. Being able to do that is a bundle of joy.
Q: What are some childhood memories of your mother?
A: Make sure you celebrate Christmas, and do the necessary things. … Funny memory, I was probably in 11th grade, I was going to soccer camp in South Carolina, and then they did an overnight camp or something. My mom was driving – was she like a Beetle (laughs)? It was a stick too! I say God was with us that whole trip because we went up a hill once and I knew she was like, “Ugh, we’re not going to make it on this hill, like it’s over.” We had such a great time going there just because it was sooo Dedicated to getting me to this camp (laughs).
Q: How does your mom feel now about being in the Big Apple and getting passes from Aaron Rodgers?
A: She sure likes it.
Q: Three dinner guests you might invite your mother to her house?
A: My great-grandmother, Laura Bell, sure; Alan Iverson; This is tough man… I’ll tell mine.
Q: The best meal your mother made?
A: Lasagna.
Q: Her favorite movie?
A: Maybe like a Tyler Perry movie.
Q: Her favorite singer?
A: That’s tough, man. I’m starting to wonder if I know my mom, really now (laughs)…dang. Maybe Michael Jackson.
Q: What is your definition of a mama’s boy?
A: You’re a kid around your mom, and you always feel the need to give her your everything or do what she says, write something. Whatever Mama says goes. Mama makes no mistake, you know?
Q: Summarize why you are so proud of your mother.
A: What she’s been through, always with a smile on her face, man…her chin up, her chest…just a very strong woman.