Metro Detroit man recalls Tom Brady mentoring him in third grade

Brady played football at University of Michigan from 1995-1999

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Tom Brady will play in his 10th Super Bowl Sunday. It could be his seventh win.

He is regarded by many as the greatest NFL quarterback of all time, and he’s pretty good off the field too.

Charles Fahlsing was 7-years old in 1999 when Brady -- a quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines at the time -- walked into Ann Arbor’s Eberwhite Elementary School.

Brady was in his senior year at the University of Michigan and was paired up with Falhsing for the Department of Psychology’s Michigan Mentorship Program.

Despite a busy senior year and senior season, Brady made a lot of trips to Eberwhite Elementary.

“A couple times a week, he’d pull me out of class for an hour or two,” Falhsing said. “Focus primarily on reading and writing.”

Years later, Fahlsing went to Patriots Camp and spoke with his mentor again. He said Brady had not changed at all even though he was already a Super Bowl champion at that point.

“He recognized me. Knew about my mom,” Fahlsing said. “Really impressive memory of our time together.”

He said that semester changed his life and he’s not exaggerating.

“I was impressed with how humble he was and how caring he was,” Fahlsing said. “I’ve taken that with me.”

Fahlsing went on to attend the same psych class when he went to Michigan and mentored a young student like Brady did. He would go on to work in youth development in his professional life.

He was -- and always will be -- a big Tom Brady fan.

Fahlsing said he believes he ended up in the youth development space because of the time and interest Brady took in him.

More information on the Michigan Mentorship Program can be found on its official website here.


About the Author:

Jamie anchors sports coverage on Local 4 News Saturdays at 6 & 11 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m., in addition to hosting Sports Final Edition.