Video After The Jump
By all accounts Michael Vick has been a model citizen since being released from federal prison in May 2009 after serving 19 months for dog fighting.
With his remarkable comeback on the football field happening before our eyes, Vick is still trying to make things right off the field.
He helps mentor kids about the harm dog fighting causes. He also spends a lot of his free time working with The Human Society.
As part of his rehabilitation process Vick says he would like to own a dog again.
“I would love to get another dog again in the future. I think it would be a big step in the rehabilitation process for me,” Vick told TheGrio.com. “I think just to have a pet in my household and to show people that I genuinely care, and my love, and my passion for animals.”
Prior to being convicted of dog fighting Vick was one of the nation’s most popular athletes. His # 7 jerseys were big sellers, he had big endorsement deals with Nike and Upper Deck, and a $100 million dollar contract with the Atlanta Falcons. He lost all of that and more. Vick became one of the most hated people on the planet.
He still struggles to come up with answers for why he did it. He thinks it could be a cultural thing.
“I hate to use our culture as an excuse, but it is what it is and that’s what happened and that’s the way I thought about it growing up. This is just the way I was brought up. Nobody ever told me that it wasn't right,” he said.
Mike says he’s learned from his mistakes and is a “better person” now. He credits God with helping him turn his life around and hopes people will give him a second chance.
Do you think Vick has reached a point where it would be ok for him to own a dog again?
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