One Texas mother-and-son team is making headlines. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dorothy Osborne’s son is “bright, humble, well-spoken, and college-educated.” Last December, DeQuinton Osborne graduated from Oklahoma State. He fulfilled a dream by signing as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys. These accomplishments would be impressive for any young man, but they are especially extraordinary because Dorothy had her son at 13 and raised him as a single mother.
Dorothy’s family struggled with addiction, and she was tragically raped at age 9. When she went out for the track team in middle school at age 12, she discovered she was pregnant and had just four months to prepare for the birth of her son. As the Star-Telegram writes, Dorothy “had more reasons to give up by the time she was old enough to drive than most people will experience in a lifetime.”
In the face of these incredible odds, Dorothy raised her son, worked, and went to school. She earned a degree in nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington and found a steady job in a doctor’s office. The obstacles she faced were not only educational and financial. Dorothy describes the difficulty of being a young single mother. Throughout her years of working and putting herself through school, “She felt the stares. The mockery. The ridicule.” Despite all this, she succeeded. She says, “Looking back on it, I think, ‘How the heck did I do that?'”
The perseverance Dorothy learned became a tremendous asset to DeQuinton, who excelled at football but struggled to stay interested in school. Dorothy pushed her son to succeed in the classroom so that he could pursue his football dreams. She explained to the Star-Telegram, “I told him, ‘I’m not your friend. I’m not your home girl. I’m your mom. And you will respect me.’” Dorothy worked closely with DeQuinton’s teachers, coaches, and counselors to ensure that he earned the grades he needed to pursue collegiate football.
After a rocky road that took him finally to Oklahoma State, DeQuinton was an All-Big 12 player and two-year starter. Before moving on to the NFL, however, DeQuinton had to follow his mother’s rule: earn a college degree before pursuing professional football. With the support of his mother and step-father of 17 years, DeQuinton did just that. Following his graduation, DeQuinton signed as a rookie free agent with the Dallas Cowboys.
Dorothy reflected on the unlikely path of their lives saying, “I am 36. He is 23. It’s a miracle that this all happened. I think about it every day.” DeQuinton sees things differently. He says, “To you, what she did is unbelievable, but to me, it was my life. I grew up with it.” Dorothy’s story shows the inherent worth and incredible potential of every human Life. By choosing Life for her son, Dorothy’s legacy of hard work and perseverance continues, and Dorothy says that her son was the ultimate motivation for all she has achieved. As the Star-Telegram observes, Dorothy “never had time to think about Pro-Life or pro-choice, but she is everything a Pro-Lifer believes. That any life is not only worth saving, but can be a good one.”
Sadly, DeQuinton’s time with the Cowboys did not last long, as he was recently cut from the team. Despite this setback, the skills Dorothy instilled in her son will no doubt help him in any career path he pursues. Dorothy’s progress has not stopped either. She is slated to earn a master’s degree in nursing from UT Arlington in December.
Texas Right to Life congratulates them both on their accomplishments and looks forward to seeing what is next for Dorothy and DeQuinton Osborne!