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Bears tackle keeps the faith -- chicagotribune.com




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Bears tackle keeps the faith
Defensive tackle Matt Toeaina's roots in religion have sustained him
through family tragedy and while on the hard road to the NFL

By Vaughn McClure

Tribune staff reporter

10:31 PM CST, December 27, 2007



The letters inscribed across the back of Matt Toeaina's neck remain
discreet beneath his helmet, but their significance means more to him
than anything he ever will accomplish in football.

 Tattooed on his skin in green cursive is the name "Abiel" as a
memorial to his older brother, who was killed by gunfire on July 5,
1994.

 "I've always been curious," the Bears defensive tackle said, "of how
it would be if he were still alive."

 Toeaina was 11 at the time: old enough to understand the tragic
incident but too young to hold a grudge. Abiel was 15 and a
neighborhood basketball star in San Francisco. His summer league squad
was beating a team from a nearby housing project soundly when the
intense battle on the court set off a riot inside the gym. Someone
emerged waving a gun and fired a shot that pierced Abiel's heart.

 "I just remember we were staying at my uncle's house because my
parents were in Samoa at a church convention," Toeaina said. "My uncle
came and picked me up in van, and we just drove around. When he
finally told me my brother didn't make it, that's when I broke down."

 Abiel died just before he reached the emergency room doors. The
shooting prompted the Toeaina family to leave San Francisco for their
roots in American Samoa.

 "We needed a slower lifestyle," Toeaina said.

 As difficult as it was to cope with, Toeaina is thankful he didn't
lose both of his brothers. When he was 7, his younger sibling, Simi,
was hit by a car in San Francisco. Simi, 3 at the time, had both legs
shattered. He recovered and is now a sophomore defensive tackle at
Oregon, Matt's alma mater.

 "All I can remember was my brother walking across the street without
any shoes on and my parents crying a lot," Toeaina said. "I was
definitely scared at that moment."

 Faith helped Toeaina conquer any fears. His grandfather, Matt, was
the founder of the First Samoan Full Gospel Pentecostal Church in San
Francisco. His father, Albert, is a minister who spent most of his
time teaching at a bible college in American Samoa while the family
lived in San Francisco.

 "I grew up in the church," he said. "Everything I did revolved around church."

 Except football. Toeaina earned a scholarship to Oregon and entered
school as a 215-pound fullback. He left a 300-pound menace on the
defensive line.

 Along the way, he developed a close friendship with college roommate
Haloti Ngata, now a starting defensive tackle for the Baltimore
Ravens. Their bond became stronger after Ngata's father was killed in
a truck accident in December 2002.

 "How Matt got through his tragedy, that's what helped me out," said
Ngata, who lost his mother to diabetes after his final season at
Oregon. "Matt's so humble, with strong Christian values. Being around
him made me stay strong in my faith."

 Now that Ngata has established himself in the league, he's rooting
for Toeaina to do the same. Toeaina entered the NFL this season as a
sixth-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite returning
an interception 81 yards in an exhibition against the Detroit
Lions—one that literally sucked the wind out of him—the 311-pounder
remained on the Bengals' practice squad until the Bears signed him two
weeks ago.

 He opened some eyes immediately with two tackles for a loss in his
first action at Minnesota. The organization expects him around for
training camp.

 Toeaina views this opportunity as a "blessing" considering the hard
times his family has endured.

 "My parents are still dealing with it, and they check up on me more
than ever because of it," he said. "It's really hard for my mother
[Ramona] to let go. But the purpose of me making it this far was to
make my family happy.

 "I've already made them proud by getting my college degree. But to do
even more now would make everyone a little prouder."

 vxmcclure at tribune.com

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