Tuesday, the Associated Press ran a story about a Clemson football player making one of the biggest sacrifices that can be expected from a 19-year-old student.

Ray Ray McElrathbey is older brother to an 11-year-old and is also his brother's sole caregiver.

More often than not, we as a football-loving public hear more stories about players being suspended for breaking team rules or the law, as in the case of the two newly reinstated Texas players, rather than stories about student athletes doing extraordinary things off the field. To a certain degree, we are all "rubber neckers" and turn our heads or slow down to see an accident but are quick to overlook instances of character and strength. We should celebrate cases in which athletes go above and beyond a class schedule, practices and training and applaud their efforts to impact the lives of their families and communities.

My feelings about the Boston College-Clemson game aside, this is most certainly an instance of a courageous act by a student athlete who has only just earned the right to vote and still cannot get a loan or rent a car without a co-signer. Taking on the responsibilities of a parent while playing for a Division-I football program cannot be an easy task and must have been made more difficult by being a freshman in college.

What is more remarkable about this story is McElrathbey kept the situation to himself. He was arranging for friends at school to watch his brother during road trips and hustling to get his brother to and from school while maintaining his own academic schedule and attending football team practices.

Until Clemson received a special waiver from the NCAA to give special assistance to McElrathbey, the two brothers were living off of McElrathbey's scholarship as their sole source of income. The waiver removes the rules prohibiting student athletes from receiving benefits not provided to the general student body and allows for McElrathbey to arrange for a more reliable care for his brother and get some help from "adults."

Some of the NCAA rules still apply. The school is not allowed to organize a fund-raiser in conjunction with a football game. But Clemson plans to establish a trust fund to house financial donations to help pay for their normal living expenses.

This is an instance where the university, community and NCAA should be proud. Student athletes are often seen as members of an elite group that have few problems and even less trouble with the day-to-day of normal life. To see a tough young football player trying to make due and take care of his little brother gives light to a little explored side of college sports — humanity. Players are more likely to be praised for their play rather than their personal character. This is an example of a player combining quality of leadership both on and off the field.

McElrathbey should be praised for working diligently to support his own aspirations and his younger brother at such a young age. While his teammates are at parties and on dates it seems a safe assumption that this 19-year-old is at home doing homework and watching over his younger brother.