It was the night of Sept. 27, around 10:30 or so, and Filomena Murphy was lying down on a couch in her barely lit living room.
She was trying to erase the memories of just coming out of surgery a few hours ago.
The cancer in her bones was eating away at her, and even her normally strong spirit was dragging.
Too tired to get up.
Too exhausted to put away a vacuum cleaner.
Even washing dishes wasn?t feasible.
BI?m laying down in the room and I see this tall guy behind my husband,C she said. BI said, 'Who is that? We?re not supposed to have any visitors.?C
Louis Murphy, known to UF fans for catching Tim Tebow touchdown passes, but more affectionately known to his family as BLJ,C was home.
For that moment, there was no cancer. Any tears of sorrow and frustration transformed to tears of joy and encouragement.
Any effects of the toxins that had entered her body to destroy the cancer cells were vanquished by the effect of a smile.
BAs soon as I went in she?s like, 'I feel better already,?C Murphy said.
All that mattered was that her son, who she didn?t even recognize at first due to the darkness, was home and standing over her with balloons and cards.
BI knew he was coming, and I didn?t tell his mom,C said Murphy?s father, the Rev. Louis Murphy Sr., of the moment his son came home for the night with UF coach Urban Meyer?s permission. BShe lit up like a Christmas tree when he walked in the house. That was real special.C
For Murphy, it started during his senior year at St. Petersburg Lakewood High. He learned his mother had breast cancer.
Then he saw Filomena get over that, only to have the disease come back - this time in her bones.
While Murphy sprints away from defenders, Filomena hopes she can just enter her classroom at North Ward Secondary School without pain.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Louis Murphy was not a very good football player.
That?s what Meyer said this spring about Murphy?s first two seasons.
Murphy only played sparingly because, as Meyer put it, the Gators were in Bdire straitsC at the receiver spots.
After originally being recruited by former UF coach Ron Zook, Meyer decided to retain Murphy in his first recruiting class. But after his first two seasons, Meyer had reason to doubt that decision.
When asked if Murphy?s first two seasons were a Btrain wreck,C Meyer had a quick answer. BThat?s an appropriate name for what he was, yes.C
He rode the bench, battled injuries and was even arrested in April 2006 on charges of marijuana possession.
BThat was the low point in my life,C Murphy said. BI let my family down, let my team down, let my coaches down. Coaches said they needed me and wanted me around, and that how I could I do this? When young people make decisions, it affects everyone else around you.C
Something had to change, and UF wide receiver coach Billy Gonzales had an idea. He enlisted the aid of senior captain Andre Caldwell.
The wideouts became roommates. After that, Murphy was reborn.
BWhen you?re with guys that are great leaders, you all of a sudden learn how to become a leader yourself,C Gonzales said. BBubba?s done a great job of being a leader. He?s helped Murph become consistent and get better. He saw the way Bubba trained this summer. 'OK, this is how I?ve got to train. This is how I?ve got to compete to be the best I can possibly be.?C
After moving in with Caldwell, there was no more hanging around the wrong crowd and no more neglecting to take care of his body.
Murphy learned how to be successful.
BEverything from A to Z [has changed] in Louis Murphy, academically, spiritually, the way he lives his life, as a leader,C Meyer said. BHe?s made some great catches for us, and it?s not a coincidence. I think players figure it out at some point. Sometimes it?s too late. To have lifestyle and trust amongst the coaching staff equates to production.C
That change was nearly immediate.
In April?s Orange and Blue Game, Murphy had his breakout performance as he finished with a team-high 129 yards and a touchdown.
After the game, Meyer named him a starter for the upcoming season.
Then, the real work began.
BHe?s as improved as anybody that I?ve ever coached,C Gonzales said. BThat doesn?t happen right now. That happens in Coach Mickey [Marotti?s] off-season weightlifting program from the day that the season ended. You go after those starting positions (in the summer), not during the season. That?s done.
BThat?s because I?ve trained my body. That?s because I?ve pushed 45-pound plates around the weight room. I?ve done wall sits with sandbags on my legs, my shoulders. I?ve screamed. I?ve cried. That?s how you become a better football player.C
In last week?s win against Kentucky, Murphy led the Gators with 91 receiving yards, including a 66-yard touchdown catch. Murphy had to slow up ever so slightly to make an over-the-shoulder catch on a laser pass from Tebow, but he quickly accelerated upon making the grab, leaving the pursuing defensive back behind.
BHe?s come a long way,C Caldwell said. BHe worked hard the whole off-season, getting better, putting the extra hours of work, and it?s showing off on Saturdays. He?s making plays for us.C
The discontent attitude that kept him on the bench has dissipated, and now Murphy?s the one younger players go to for advice on how to get off the pine.
BThis weekend when I got in … he told me, 'Do this for your momma'. Do this for your brotha',C said defensive tackle Torrey Davis, who had his best game last weekend against Kentucky. BJust remember who you?re here for.
BLouis Murphy just a cool cat. He always tells me to be about my business. When he got here, he kind of got off on the wrong foot, so he tells all the freshmen to be smart and listen. Just do your job.C
Still, Murphy?s teammates can attest to the fact that he's far from perfect.
B[At practice Tuesday] Percy (Harvin) ran a screen and he was trying to tell Percy to come over and he would block,C wide receiver and roommate Jarred Fayson said. BHe blocked the wrong man, and [Murphy is] stumbling all over the place.
BSomething like that always bound to happen to Murph. Murph?s a goof, man.C
BROTHERLY LOVE
Fayson laughs and says Murphy has 1,000 stories about him, but the relationship that has formed isn?t a laughing matter.
Murphy never had any brothers growing up - it took 20 years for them to surface.
Caldwell, Fayson, Murphy and Justin Williams all share an apartment in the Keys Complex, and they?re never far apart.
BWe do everything together,C Fayson said. BWe walk off the field together. We go inside, get changed. We go to treatment together. We go eat together. We go to tutoring together. It?s a whole bunch of brothers.C
For what Murphy is dealing with off the field, that?s a much-needed solace.
BBy my mom going through the same thing his mom went through, I knew what he was going through,C Fayson said. BMe and Murph always talk about it. I understand where he?s coming from. He?s handled it real well. I?m always there for him. He knows I?ll stay right next to him.C
The support system is a family affair for the Murphys, too.
BThey call me 'Pop,?C the Rev. Murphy said. BThat?s what they call me. To have the respect and admiration of the players - there?s nothing like having a good support system. That?s what the football team provides.C
Outside of the family struggles, the punishing hits from linebackers and safeties during practices and games, there?s still some time for fun.
However, not everyone agrees on what goes on at these events. Murphy said when they go out to eat - Zaxby?s is usually the choice - they sit down for some wings. But who can pack the most fried bird into their stomachs?
BFayson eats the most,C Murphy said BWe call him the big receiver.C
Um, maybe not.
BNo, I don?t,C Fayson said. BThey say I eat the most because I?m the biggest, but I probably eat the least. I say Bubba eats the most.C
THE FAMILY LOVE
Beyond the slamming hits by defenders, past the nights out on the town - no matter who eats the most - lies as tight a family as there can be.
For what they?re going through, they have little choice but to be that way.
Especially when you?re a self-proclaimed Bmomma?s boy.C
BThat?s my heart, man,C Murphy said of his mother. BI love everything about her. I just go out every day and play for her. She hasn?t being doing too well this past couple weeks. Now I?m just working extra hard, just for her. That?s just giving me more motivation, more hunger.C
After Filomena had gotten through the breast cancer, everything seemed OK for a period. Then, when the cancer came back into her bones, it was what Murphy called a Bdouble whammy.C
BI knew my wife is really ill when she went to Chicago for a cancer retreat, and that was one of the first games LJ scored in,C the Rev. Murphy said. BWhen she came back, it was three or four days before she got around to watching it. That?s how sick she was.C
But for every hard day, there is an equal amount of smiles and giggles. Those come from 3-year-old Jair, Murphy?s nephew and the son of his sister, Chiriga.
BHe don?t really listen to nobody but me,C Murphy said. BWhen I come home and he?s crying, and I tell him to be quiet, he?ll listen up. I don?t know what it is, but that?s my little man.C
Whenever BUncle LJC is in town, there?s the constant question of, BWhere is Uncle LJ going?C
Because to the little man, Uncle LJ is everything.
Well, at least close to it. One day when Chiriga and Jair were drawing a picture of Louis, Jair said someone was missing.
His mom? Try again.
Grandpa? Strike two.
His own mother or grandmother? Strike three.
BTebow! Tebow!C said Chiriga, remembering her son?s words. BHe?s associating LJ with football and Tebow being the quarterback.C
Now they just have to meet.
BI don?t even think he met him yet,C Murphy said. BI know he always says 'Tebow? when I?m around him.C
A SISTER?S TOUCH
Murphy is nobody?s little brother.
BHe hates when I say that,C Chiriga said. BHe says, 'Don?t call me your baby brother, I?m your brother.?C
Well, it did take him about 15 years to get to the point. Chiriga, who is three years older, was always the bigger one growing up.
As she put it, Louis was the Bshrimp.C
Those measurements have been thrown out the window, though, as Murphy now stands at 6-foot-2.
BHe called me saying, I?m on Nike this, Scout this,C Chiriga said. BHe was never a big guy. He was always puny and little.C
Those puny days started when Murphy was about 6 years old. The two siblings, with the prodding of their father, would get up at around 5:30 in the morning and compete for the faster mile time.
Chiriga would always win, but eventually a growth spurt moved Louis up the ladder.
BI used to always beat him up, because he was a little wimp,C Chiriga said. BMy dad said, 'He?s going to turn around and be bigger, stronger than you.
"Yeah, right, he?s a little shrimp.? Now he tries to beat me up.C
And he?ll beat up others, if need be.
BShe calls me her little brother, but sometimes I?m her big brother because I don?t like nobody talking to my sister,C Murphy said. BA lot of the players joke around about it. They say they like her. So I always straighten them out.C
THE HOPEFUL FINISH
Murphy?s track career started with a bribe. He didn?t want to race. He only wanted to play football.
BWe were at Florida State at a track meet and he was just adamant about not running,C the Rev. Murphy said. BIf he did it, I would take him and I would buy him all the Ninja Turtles he wanted after. After that I?ve never had to ask him to run again.C
UF owes a great deal to those nunchuk-flipping reptiles.
BA lot of people don?t know how fast I am, but I did clock the fastest 40 time here,C Murphy said. BTime doesn?t lie, in my eyes, and the coaches said it was legit. Me, Bubba, Percy always argue about it. They always say, 'Let?s race,? but I tell them to just look at the board.C
Flash forward 15 years. Murphy sits with his mother, the morning after he made that surprise visit and came home for the night.
They sit together, holding hands as Filomena has the treatment that will hopefully cure her pumped into her body.
BI just sat down, held her hand, and told her everything was going to be all right,C Murphy said. BI?m going to do right. I?m going to do what?s best.
BShe told me don?t worry about her. Don?t think about her. We came up with a symbol for each other whenever I score. I point up to the sky. That?s our symbol so she knows I?m talking to her.C
Except, come Saturday, he won?t need to point to the sky. For the first time since earlier this season, his mother will be in the stands. That?s where he can point now.
