Harding High outstanding athlete and scholar, Penn State linebacker,
a number two who could level even a Buckeye quarterback.
But even this strong-bodied tackler was leveled by a doctor's diagnosis in his first year at Penn
State, a rare and painful enzyme disorder that attacked his muscles.
"I felt like half my life was over, and you know, what was I gonna do," Toles said.
Working with Coach Paterno, he continued to play , but only about 30 plays a game.
And he still went pro as an Indianapolis Colt until another injury put
him on injured reserves and back in Warren.
"When I came home, I saw these kids and I started seeing a little bit of me in all of them, and
that's what made me create the program," Toles said.
The program is called Inspiring Minds, Deryck's non-profit group that matches kids with their
dream careers, literally showing them how to get there through field trips to New York, Atlanta
and Milwaukee.
"You go to Essence Magazine and all you're thinking is the magazine, but I'm teaching them to
meet the writers, the columnists, the producers, the event coordinators the graphic design. And
maybe somewhere in there you think, i do like that," Toles said.
He sponsors ball teams and visits schools like Warren's Jefferson Elementary to inspire kids that
homelife and poverty aren't excuses..
"My mom was this way, my father was this way or they weren't there, we dont have money, you
don't understand. You can't say that to me, because I've been there," Toles said.
At 13 Deryck chose to leave a troubled home in Columbus and live with his grandma in Warren
to play hard and study hard and now to help kids, especially at-risk teens.
"I don't condone the things they do, but there's a respect there cause I can understand why they
do the things they do, so I sit down and I say look I know what you're going through but let me
show you your options, because if I can make it, I know you can," Toles said.
a number two who could level even a Buckeye quarterback.
But even this strong-bodied tackler was leveled by a doctor's diagnosis in his first year at Penn
State, a rare and painful enzyme disorder that attacked his muscles.
"I felt like half my life was over, and you know, what was I gonna do," Toles said.
Working with Coach Paterno, he continued to play , but only about 30 plays a game.
And he still went pro as an Indianapolis Colt until another injury put
him on injured reserves and back in Warren.
"When I came home, I saw these kids and I started seeing a little bit of me in all of them, and
that's what made me create the program," Toles said.
The program is called Inspiring Minds, Deryck's non-profit group that matches kids with their
dream careers, literally showing them how to get there through field trips to New York, Atlanta
and Milwaukee.
"You go to Essence Magazine and all you're thinking is the magazine, but I'm teaching them to
meet the writers, the columnists, the producers, the event coordinators the graphic design. And
maybe somewhere in there you think, i do like that," Toles said.
He sponsors ball teams and visits schools like Warren's Jefferson Elementary to inspire kids that
homelife and poverty aren't excuses..
"My mom was this way, my father was this way or they weren't there, we dont have money, you
don't understand. You can't say that to me, because I've been there," Toles said.
At 13 Deryck chose to leave a troubled home in Columbus and live with his grandma in Warren
to play hard and study hard and now to help kids, especially at-risk teens.
"I don't condone the things they do, but there's a respect there cause I can understand why they
do the things they do, so I sit down and I say look I know what you're going through but let me
show you your options, because if I can make it, I know you can," Toles said.
