(This story was originally posted on May 1, 2012.)

The journey for

, offered the guidance and direction he needed. It took awhile before he got his grades up enough for Robak to allow him to play.

"They really stuck with me. Coach Robak was with me from day one. After school he would make sure I would come to his office, show him my homework and my progress reports every week. He said 'without school you are not going to get to play.'"

And once he did play, he opened eyes.

During the summer after his junior season, MacFadden told Sadat 'whatever you want to do in life, I will do my best to make sure it happens.' "I said I want to go to college and play football," Sadat said. So, though money was not plentiful, MacFadden found ways to get Sadat into all the summer camps and combines she could. Once he was there, Sulleyman kept winning awards as the Most Valuable Player at his position (then linebacker).

Another person offering vital guidance was his older stepbrother, Trevor. "He would take the blame for all my bad stuff. If I got in trouble, he would take the blame for it. Later he would tell me you can't be doing this, it will really affect your future. He basically put me under his wing."

Trevor also joined the military, but not after making an impression on Sadat, and offering him monetary rewards for playing well on the football field. As a senior after the football season, Sadat even played soccer for Trevor and wore his number to honor him (as soccer is played in the springtime in Washington).

Meanwhile, Sulleyman was a bright, blinking light on the Portland State football coaching staff's radar.

"Coach (Eric) Jackson (PSU's defensive coordinator) was the one who always called me when other schools dropped off after seeing my grades," Sadat said. "Coach Jackson stayed. (PSU) never gave up on me. They stuck with me."

Said Nigel Burton: "He is not the first guy who has been in a difficult situation that we have seen. The reason we stuck with Sadat is he came off genuinely committed to getting a college degree. He wasn't just telling us something because it was what we wanted to hear. In his heart of hearts, he knew that he could accomplish everything, despite the fact that everything that happened in his life had put him behind the eight-ball. That is why we stuck with him. He was sincere, wanted to get his degree and be something special."
  One of the most gratifying days in the life of Sadat Sulleyman came on Feb. 2, 2011, when he signed a National Letter of Intent to play football at Portland State. He had achieved what he set out to do; go to college and play football.

"He understood that just because he signed on that line it didn't mean it was the end," said Burton. "He still understood the amount of work he was going to have to do to get eligible, the amount of work he was going to have to do to get on the field, the amount of work he was going to have to do to be a force in this conference, and the amount of work he was going to have to do to get his degree and move on. That is something you don't have to explain to him, how to work and persevere."

And so, Sulleyman had to gray shirt in the fall of 2011. That meant he could not play football yet as he continued to improve his academics. Finally, this past winter term he was ready to go, and now with spring practice underway, Sadat is on the field and making a big impact at defensive end.

"I am still adjusting to the game, the playbook, knowing the terminology and the speed of  the game," Sulleyman said. "(Defensive ends) Coach (Mike) Scheper has made it easy on me. He takes the time to explain the playbook and teach me."

"For my size (6-2, 240 pounds), I am faster than the majority of guys. I always play with a chip on my shoulder. Nobody gave me respect until I put the pads on and earned it."

"So far he has jumped into the deep end of the pool head first," said Scheper. "He is a blessed athlete of immense talent and potential. He has a speed and a switch that he turns on between the lines. He has done a remarkable job despite being the new kid in the position group.

"His speed is his fastball versus the run or the pass. He is very difficult to block and get hands on by an offensive lineman. He has used that to his advantage and caught on quick."

Sulleyman appears to be a candidate to start in the fall as a freshman. That would be yet another remarkable feat in a life filled with unusual twists and turns.

"That would be the absolute bare minimum," Scheper said. "He is not only competing for, but (has a great chance to) become a starter at one of the end positions. He has the physical tools and upside. He doesn't realize yet how dominant he can be."

With the loss of four seniors off the defensive line from 2011, Burton is looking for some answers to those gaps. Sulleyman appears to be one.

"The biggest thing is he is learning how to play with a motor. He is so explosive that when he does that he is a playmaker. There are times when he shows up on things that, when you draw it on the board, you say 'that guy can't get there,' but he does," said Burton.

Certainly, Sadat Sulleyman has proven he can be the guy that "can get there." The adversity he has battled through for a better life has been great, but so far he has succeeded.

"He has such a unique story, that really what we appreciate about him is the story of perseverance and overcoming odds," Burton said. "That is what really makes him special. Whenever you think about whining about what you are going through, that keeps things in perspective. Here is a guy that has been through more than most and he is just now scratching the surface of what he can be.

"It has made it hard for him to trust people. It is no different from some other kids that have transferred, we told him that baggage from the past, you have got to let it go. The coaching staff and support staff is here to help you and he has figured that out. It has been fun to watch him grow."

Nobody has seen that growth more than MacFadden. When asked to describe the changes that have occured with Sadat, she was succinct.

"It's Dramatic. It's amazing... he's not done yet, but he is a diamond in rough."

Sadat remains in touch with his father, albeit from the other side of the world. He has no relationship with his birth mother who now lives in Denmark. And he makes it very clear where his home and family are, right here on the west coast of the United States.

He knows the opportunities that once were not available now exist because of his willingness to change, and the woman who rescued him.

With a smile, he said: "My mom is my motivation. Everything I do, I do for her."