>>> YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR
WITH THE MOVIE "THE BLINDSIDE,"
THE REAL LIFE STORY OF THE
TENNESSEE FAMILY THAT TOOK IN A
STRUGGLING YOUNG MAN FROM A
DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUND AND
HELPED TO PUT HIM ON THE PATH TO
BEING A COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER
AND EVENTUALLY A STAR IN THE
NFL.
IN OUR SUNDAY CLOSER, MORGAN
RADFORD FINDS A BASKETBALL
VERSION OF THAT STORY IN MAINE.
FOR A PLAYER WHO WILL GRADUATE
FROM COLLEGE NEXT WEEK AGAINST
SOME LONG ODDS.
>> Reporter: 1,000 POINTS, AN
HONOR MANY COLLEGE BASKETBALL
PLAYERS NEVER GET TO EXPERIENCE,
BUT THEN AGAIN, 6'7" CENTER
CARLOS GONZALEZ HAS EXPERIENCED
A LOT THAT SETS HIM APART.
LIKE MEETING THE FAMILY THAT
HELPED GET HIM HERE.
>> HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR LIFE
WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF YOU
HADN'T MET THIS FAMILY?
>> I WOULD NOT BE PLAYING
BASKETBALL RIGHT NOW, PROBABLY
WOULDN'T BE GRADUATING COLLEGE.
>> Reporter: CARLOS TOOK UP
BASKETBALL IN HIGH SCHOOL WHERE
HE PLAYED WITH ZACH McKINNON.
ZACH'S DAD MIKE WAS THEIR COACH.
>> HE WAS A GREAT ASSET TO THE
PROGRAM, BUT WE NOTICED IT WAS
HARD FOR HIM TO GET THERE.
>> Reporter: MIKE AND HIS WIFE
JULIE REALIZED CARLOS WAS HAVING
TROUBLE OFF THE COURT.
>> HE NEEDED A PLACE TO STAY FOR
A COUPLE OF DAYS.
>> Reporter: WHEN HIS MOM LEFT,
CARLOS FOUND HIMSELF ALONE AND
WITHOUT A HOME.
>> HE HAD BEEN EVICTED FROM HIS
APARTMENT.
HE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER
PLACE TO GO, AND SO IT WAS AN
EASY ANSWER FOR US JUST TO SAY,
OKAY, WELL, HERE YOU GO.
YOU CAN STAY HERE.
>> Reporter: A SIMPLE OFFER THAT
CHANGED EVERYTHING.
>> YOU KNOW, A FEW DAYS LED TO A
FEW MORE DAYS, AND FINALLY WE
JUST MADE THE OFFER, DO YOU WANT
TO JUST BE PART OF THIS?
>> Reporter: WITH THREE KIDS TO
FEED, MIKE AND JOULE LEE WEREN'T
EXACTLY READY FOR A FOURTH, BUT
THEY DIDN'T FLINCH.
>> DID YOU EVER HAVE A MOMENT OF
HESITATION?
YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS FULL.
>> NO.
>> THREE OTHER KIDS.
>> NO.
>> HE DIDN'T HESITATE WITH US,
AND WE DIDN'T HESITATE WITH HIM.
IT WAS LIKE HE WAS THE MISSING
PART IN OUR FAMILY.
>> Reporter: LIKE HE WAS THEIR
OWN, MIKE AND JULIE GOT CARLOS
THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION
AND INTO THOMAS COLLEGE, WHERE
HE BECAME THE STARTING CENTER ON
THE BASKETBALL TEAM.
>> WHAT CHANGED WHEN YOU STARTED
LIVING WITH THEM?
>> I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
THINGS LIKE FOOD, PAYING FOR
SCHOOL, A LOT OF THINGS THAT
KIDS WHERE I WAS FROM HAD TO
WORRY ABOUT.
>> Reporter: WHEN IT CAME TIME
FOR ZACH TO CHOOSE SCHOOLS, HE
FOLLOWED HIS BROTHER, AND THEY
BECAME TEAMMATES AGAIN.
>> WHAT IS THAT LIKE TO BE ABLE
TO HAVE YOUR BROTHER THERE TO
RELY ON?
>> HAVING LIKE ANOTHER FAMILY
MEMBER THERE IS ALWAYS A BETTER
FEELING.
YOU GET A LITTLE HOME SICK,
YOU'LL HAVE HIM RIGHT THERE.
>> WHEN THEY ASK, WHAT DO YOU
SAY?
>> I SAY THAT'S MY BROTHER.
>> YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> Reporter: THEIR STORY FEELS
LIKE THE STUFF OF MOVIES.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY PLACE TO STAY
TONIGHT?
>> Reporter: WHEN PEOPLE LEARN
ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, DO THEY MAKE
COMPARISON TO THE MOVIE "THE
BLINDSIDE."
>> YEAH, A LOT OF TIMES.
>> IT'S A PHRASE IN THE MOVIE
WHERE SOMEBODY SAYS TO HER, YOU
KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS
BOY'S LIFE.
SHE RESPONDS BACK, I KNOW WHAT
HE'S DONE FOR MINE.
REALLY, THAT IS SUCH A TRUE
FACT.
>> IN YOUR EYES IS THE RESOLVE
OF A MOTHER.
I'VE ONLY SEEN THAT KIND OF
RESOLVE FROM A MOTHER.
>> YEAH.
HE'S ONE OF MY BABIES.
>> Reporter: THE McKINNONS DON'T
MISS A SINGLE GAME.
WIN OR LOSE, ALWAYS PROUD.
BECAUSE FOR THEM, THE WIN IS
ALREADY THEIRS.
>> TO BRING A TOTAL STRANGER
INTO YOUR HOUSE AND THEN HAVE
THEM CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT
THE WORLD, IT'S -- IT'S JUST
UNBELIEVABLE FOR US.
>> WHAT AN INCREDIBLE, SPECIAL
FAMILY.
AFTER GRADUATION NEXT WEEK,
CARLOS WILL HAVE A DEGREE IN
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT FROM THOMAS
COLLEGE, AND HE WANTS TO PUT
THAT TO USE RIGHT AWAY, SO HE'LL
JOIN THE FAMILY BUSINESS,
HELPING RUN A RESORT IN MAINE
AND EVENTUALLY HE HOPES TO START
HIS OWN BUSINESS ALL BY HIMSELF
ONE DAY.
>> WHAT A GREAT EXAMPLE TO
EVERYONE THAT FAMILY IS.